\NCROFT 


BANCROFT 
LIBRARY   • 

-O- 

THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


[Separate  No,   158] 


T.   Turnbull's  Travels  from  the   United  States  across 
the  Plains  to  California 


[From  the  Proceedings  of  the  State  Historical    Society    of"   Wisconsin    for 
1913,  pages  151-225] 


Madison 
Published  for  the  Societ 


BANCROFT    LIBRARY 


r  ',       0  f 

COAST 

>  F  r 


[Separate  No.  158] 


T.   Turnbull's  Travels  from  the   United  States  across 
the  Plains  to  California 


*•  v1*-* 


[From  the  Proceedings  of  the  State  Historical    Society    of   Wisconsin    for 
1913,  pages  151-225] 


Madison 

Published  for  the  Society 
1914 


T.  TurnbullY  Travels    from   the    United 
States  across  the  Plains  to  California 


Edited  with  introduction  and  notes  by  Frederic  L.  Paxson,  and  with  typo- 
graphic arrangement  by  Reuben  G.  Thwaites 

Thomas  Turnbull,  whose  journal  of  a  trip  from  Chicago  to 
Hangtown  is  now  for  the  first  time  printed,  was  born  in  Chilling- 
ham,  Northumberland,  England,  about  1812.  His  parents  were 
of  Scotch  extraction,  and  were  able  to  give  him  a  solid  educa- 
tion. In  1834  he  emigrated  from  Berwick-on-Tweed,  in  com- 
pany with  a  brother,  William,  and  William's  wife.  After  a 
short  residence  in  Canada,  they  moved  to  Chicago,  but,  ac- 
cording to  family  tradition,  "thought  it  too  poor  and  unde- 
sirable a  place, '  '*•  and  went  on  to  Joliet.  Here  they  worked  a 
lime-kiln  until  forced  away  by  the  ague.  In  1838  they  bought 
a  quarter-section  on  the  North  Shore,  in  the  vicinity  of  Glen- 
coe,  Illinois,  and  here  they  were  farming  when  the  gold  fever 
struck  the  West.  It  was  impracticable  for  both  brothers  to 
emigrate  again,  because  William  had  a  family,  but  Thomas 
finally  determined  to  go  to  California,  and  left  Chicago  on 
April  16,  1852. 

The  journal  is  detailed,  frank,  and  accurate.  Thomas  Turn- 
bull  died  in  Glencoe  in  1869,  regretting,  as  he  had  regretted 
in  1853,  that  he  had  not  found  time  to  write  up  and  expand 
his  narrative.  He  wrote  in  a  small  leather-bound  notebook 
(9cm.  x  15cm.),  covering  ninety-seven  pages  with  neat  writing 


1  The  data  concerning  Thomas  Turnbull,  and  his  associates  mentioned 
in  the  journal,  have  been  placed  at  my  disposal  by  his  grand-nephew, 
Mr.  Alan  J.  Turnbull,  of  Glencoe,  Illinois,  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for 
knowledge  of  the  journal  itself. 


151] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

that  is  at  times  so  minute  as  to  tax  the  eyesight.  He  wrote 
in  pencil,  with  lines  that  are  still  visible  beneath  the  ink  with 
which  he  later  reenforced  them.  The  manuscript,  and  the 
letter  printed  with  it,  have  been  preserved  in  the  Turnbull 
family  since  the  death  of  the  writer,  and  the  former  has  been 
deposited  in  the  library  of  the  State  Historical  Society  of  Wis- 
consin by  its  owner,  Mr.  William  J.  Turnbull. 

The  Turnbull  diary  is  of  interest  to  students  of  the  overland 
trails,  and  to  all  who  are  interested  in  adventurous  achieve- 
ment, because  of  its  fresh  originality.  It  has  not  been  spoilt 
fcy  later  additions  as  most  journals  have  been.  It  reveals  the 
writer  moving  in  the  summer  procession  of  1852,  touching 
hundreds  of  fellow-emigrants,  meeting  and  re-meeting  scores 
of  old  acquaintances,  escaping  the  diseases  and  dangers  of  the 
wilderness,  and  finding  time  from  camp  to  camp  to  record  his 
impressions  in  the  very  words  that  have  been  preserved.  The 
abbreviations,  dashes,  and  unpunctuated  stretches  of  the  man- 
uscript bear  testimony  to  the  conditions  under  which  he  wrote. 
Dr.  R.  G.  Thwaites  and  Miss  A.  A.  Nunns  have  transcribed 
the  diary,  and  made  it  more  easily  intelligible  by  means  of 
type  arrangements  preserving  carefully  the  ipsissima  verba  of 
the  original.  Few  overland  journals  have  been  printed  in  as 
close  adherence  to  the  written  form  as  this. 

The  route  taken  by  Turnbull  was  unusual  in  1852.  From 
Chicago  to  Kanesville  (Council  Bluffs,  Iowa),  he  followed  well- 
known  roads.  West  of  the  Missouri,  however,  he  took  the 
Mormon  Trail,  instead  of  the  Oregon  Trail  which  followed  the 
south  bank  of  the  Platte.  As  early  as  1842  Fremont  had  found 
a  well-beaten  track  along  the  north  bank  of  the  Platte.  The 
Mormons  had  beaten  it  down  still  harder,  in  and  after  1847, 
but  few  of  the  gold-seekers  had  gone  this  way.  Even  fewer 
have  left  known  journals  of  this  route,  although  there  are 
dozens  in  print,  kept  by  emigrants  on  the  Oregon  Trail.2 


'Among  the  printed  descriptions  or  journals  covering  in  whole  or  in 
part  the  trail  along  the  north  bank  of  the  Platte,  are  H.  J.  Coke,  A.  Ride 
vver  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  Oregon  and  California  (London,  1852); 
J.  S.  Collins,  Across  the  Plains  in  '64  (Omaha,  1911);  M.  Crawford, 
Journal  of  the  Expedition  organized  for  the  Protection  of  Emigrants  to 
Oregon  [in  1862],  in  37  Cong.,  3  sess.,  Sen.  Ex.  Docs.,  p.  17;  F.  Fry,  Fry's 

f  152  1 


Turnbull's  Travels 

From  a  point  opposite  to  Fort  Laramie,  on  the  North  Platte, 
to  the  Red  Buttes,  near  which  the  Oregon  Trail  cut  across 
from  the  Platte  to  the  Sweetwater,  Turnbull's  journal  is  al- 
most unique.  Even  the  Mormons  generally  crossed  the  North 
Platte  near  Fort  Laramie,  and  took  up  the  route  of  the  Ore- 
gon Trail.  The  north  bank  of  the  river  here  is  broken  country, 
with  the  hills  and  ravines  coming  close  to  the  stream.  By 
crossing  to  the  south  bank,  there  was  easier  going  after  the 
emigrants  had  finished  with  the  Black  Hills  of  Wyoming. 
Turnbull  followed  the  north  bank  all  the  way. 

The  "last  crossing  of  the  Platte "  was  later  called  North 
Platte  Bridge,  and  still  later  became  Casper,  Wyoming.  At 
this  place  Turnbull  joined  the  Oregon  Trail,  and  followed  the 
usual  route  to  South  Pass,  Green  River,  the  City  of  Rocks, 
Humboldt  Valley,  and  Carson  Pass.  He  shows,  as  do  many 
other  diarists,  a  remarkable  familiarity  with  the  names  of 
places,  rarely  misnaming  anything.  The  topographical  gossip 
along  the  trails  was  intimate,  there  were  numerous  guide- 
books and  maps  by  1852,  and  local  itineraries  and  the  spoken 
word  added  to  the  store  of  information.  Only  once  does  Turn- 
bull  refer  by  name  to  a  source  of  information,  and  this  source 
(Pratt  and  Slater,  p.  194  post),  has  not  been  Identified  by  the 
editor.  By  word  of  mouth  details  were  passed  along,  until  it 
was  a  careless  or  a  stupid  emigrant  who  missed  the  way. 

Turnbull  traveled  in  a  company,  but  he  has  not  made  it  pos- 
sible to  name  its  members  or  its  captain,  or  to  estimate  its 
strength.  "Mullions'  old  horse,"  that  was  driven  into  the 
head  of  Lake  Humboldt,  and  abandoned  there,  is  better  known 
than  any  other  associate.  Old  friends  or  neighbors,  from  Illi- 
nois or  Canada,  were  often  passed,  and  a  few  of  them  are  re- 
membered in  family  tradition,  by  the  surviving  children  of 


Travelers'  Guide,  and  Descriptive  Journal  of  the  Great  Northwestern 
Territories  of  the  United  States  (Cincinnati,  1865) ;  R.  H.  Hewett,  Across 
the  Plains  and  over  the  Divide.  A  Mule  Train  going  from  East  to  West 
in  1862  (New  York,  1906);  J.  A.  MacMurphy,  "Thirty-three  Years  Ago." 
Journal  of  a  Journey  to  California  in  1853,  in  Transactions  of  the  Ne- 
braska State  Historical  Society,  iii,  pp.  270-278;  S.  Parker,  Journal  of 
an  Exploring  Tour  oeyond  the  Rocky  Mountains  (Ithaca,  1838);  G.  W. 
Thissell,  Crossing  the  Plains  in  '49  (Oakland,  Gal.,  1903). 

[153] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

William  Turnbull,  who  stayed  at  home.  But  Turnbull  re- 
mained impersonal  in  the  throng,  taking  his  companions  for 
granted. 

The  journal  is  so  clear  that  few  editorial  notes  have  been 
needed.  These,  where  used,  are  designed  to  show  the  relation 
between  TurnbuH's  route  and  the  great  overland  roads.  The 
maps  have  been  compiled  by  the  editor  from  contemporary 
charts  and  the  topographical  sheets  of  the  United  States  Geo- 
logical survey. 

FREDERIC  L.  PAXSON. 


T  TURNBULLS  TRAVELS  FROM  THE  U.  STATES 

ACROSS  THE  PLAINS  TO  CALIFORNIA  WHILE 

IN  THE  COUNTRY. 

We  left  Chicago  on  the  16th  April  [1852]     came  on  the  Plank 
road    stopt  first  night  18  mile 
next  day  very  bad  road    stopt  at  Aurora 


TURNBULL'S       KOUTE 
TO     CALIFORNIA 

left  Aurora  next  morning  18th  and  passed  through  Little 
Rock  &  Big  rock  and  campd  all  night  at  J.  Devines  Tavern 
called  by  name  Saminak  [Somonauk] 

from  S —  H —  to  Sackinack  very  bad  roads     stopt  their  at 

[154] 


Turnbull's  Travels 


Noon  and  fed — and  stopt  all  night  at  Potters  Tavern  near 
Paupa  Grove  [Pawpaw  Gr.] 

from  P —  G —  we  stopt  all  night  in  Lee  county  at  S —  Fris- 
bys  Tavern — then 

next  day  to  Sterling  campd  all  night  21st  12  miles  from 
Dixons  Ferry  on  Kock  River. 

Stopt  at  noon.  Union  Ville  and  fed  at  noon  thence  to  Ful- 
ton City  on  the  Mississippi!  camp  'd  all  night  22d 


CHICAGO   TO  DE5  MOINES 

(0 


left  next  morning  at  8  OClock  Crossed  the  MS  on  the 
Ferry  Boat  to  Lyons3  on  the  other  side  of  the  Missis- 
sippii  camped  all  night  at  Dewitt 

very  bad  road  from  Dewitt  to  Wapsipinicon  crossed  on  the 
Ferry  and  went  through  Toronto  and  campd  in  a  pice  of  tim- 
ber all  night 

Sunday  morning  25th  went  on  crossed  Yankie  run  and 
campd  all  night  10  miles  from  Jenkins  Ferry  on  Wapsipinicon 
Biver 

left  next  morning  and  went  on  3  miles  beyond  Tipton  a 


•From  Lyons  to  Council  Bluffs  Turnbull  followed  a  wagon  road  that 
appears  to  be  indicated  on  "A  Township  Map  of  the  State  of  Iowa," 
lithographed  in  Philadelphia,  1851,  for  Henn,  Williams,  and  Co.,  of 
Fairfield,  Iowa. 


11 


[155] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

pretty  large  Village,  the  largest  from  Chicago  only  [except] 
Aurora. 

from  Tipton  we  went  on  next  day  on  the  forenoon  to  Cedar 
River  crossed  by  Ferry  Boat  very  wide  nearly  as  wide  as 
the  Mississippi  it  empties  into  the  Iowa  River  and  then  both 
runs  into  the  Mississippi  12  miles  4  from  this  Ferry 

28th  we  went  that  day  within  4  miles  of  Iowa  City  about 
2000  inhabitants  I  saw  Stebbins 5  standing  at  a  Door  in  Iowa 
City — he  lives  there  he  went  with  us  to  the  Ferry  about  % 
mile  he  is  going  to  California  in  the  spring  Tom  Wellen 
Huntoon  Pratt  &  the  French  boys  passed  through  Iowa 

City  250  miles  from  the  Council  Bluffs  day  before  us  we 
came  from  Iowa  City  16  miles  and  campd  all  night  on  the  top 
of  a  Hill  at  Douglas  old  Log  House 

29th  came  on  next  day  14  miles  and  took  a  lunch  again  on 
the  banks  of  the  Iowa  River6  this  is  fordable  this  is  Noon 
tremenduous  bad  roads  all  the  way  from  Naperville  until  we 
came  to  Fulton  City  on  the  Mississippi  we  had  some  little 
rain  before  we  got  as  far  as  here  but  very  cold  cold  enough 
to  wear  2  Shirts  &  coat  Deyres 7  Ponies  are  4  days  ahead  of 
us  at  Iowa  City.  Campd  last  night  at  Douglas  on  the  Pra- 
rie 

30th  left  next  morning  and  came  through  about  4  miles  long 
of  Timber  the  most  timber  &  best  we  have  seen  in  Iowa,  a 
distance  of  about  200  miles  from  the  Bluffs,  eat  at  noon  at 
R  Manaths  Tavern  behind  the  Barn  a  very  windy  day  na 
Hay  to  be  got  corn  5  Bits  pr  Bushel  oats  50cta  and  hard 
to  get  it  at  that  no  Hay  for  a  day  or  two.  nothing  but  old 
grass  on  the  Prarie  Sleughs  not  so  good  as  they  were  when 


4  Turnbull  was  in  error.  The  mouth  of  the  Iowa  River  is  more  than 
eixty  miles  below  the  place  at  which  he  crossed  the  Cedar  River. 

•Stebbins  was  a  former  resident  and  tavern  keeper  of  Gross  Point, 
111.;  Tom  Wellen  was  reported  to  have  been  a  sailor;  Huntoon,  Pratt, 
and  the  French  boys  were  farmers  living  near  Evanston,  111. — A.  J.  T. 

6  In  the  vicinity  of  Marengo,  Iowa  County,  Iowa. 

'The  Widow  Dwyer's  boys,  who  reappear  frequently  in  the  diary, 
were  farmers  living  near  the  present  site  of  Lake  Bluff,  111.  They  had 
an  idea  that  small  "chunks  of  Canadian  ponies"  would  stand  the  trip 
better  than  the  larger  native  type,  and  accordingly  went  into  Canada 
and  brought  back  a  number. — A.  J.  T. 

[156] 


TurnbuH's  Travels 

I  left  home,  we  are  just  now  at  noon  18  miles  of  a  Prarie. 
to  cross  until  we  come  to  timber  we  crossed  it  and  got  their 
about  6  OClock,  and  Started  a  good  Log  fire  and  stopped  all 
night  and  turned  our  Horses  to  eat  the  old  grass  in  a  Valley 
close  by  the  timber  very  little  Ploughing  done  here  yet  later 
than  it  is  at  Gross  Point  the  greatest  wind  and  rain  I  most 
ever  saw  all  the  way  across  rain  and  wind  right  in  our  face. 
[May  1st]  we  crossed  the  handsomest  Prarie  I  have  seen  on  our 
route  from  Iowa  City  fine  rolling  Prarie  and  roads  as  good  as 
Plank  road  and  I  think  a  good  deal  better  only  a  Sleugh  once 
&  a  while  but  bad  ones  we  passed  a  Town  called  Newton 
and  camped  under  a  high  hill  close  by  a  creek 

we  had  some  thunder  and  a  very  cold  rain  until  about  8 
OClock  Sunday  morning  it  was  so  cold  we  could  not  stop 
all  Sunday  May  2d  the  next  River  was  a  Ferry  called  Par- 
kers Ferry  8  miles  from  campd  over  Skunk  River  the  next 
we  came  to  was  Indian  Creek  &  Bridge  we  could  buy  corn 
and  Bacon  cheaper  at  Newton  185  miles  from  the  Bluffs  than 
we  could  100  miles  back.  Bacon  8cts  pr-lb  Corn  40cts  any 
one  coming  the  route  as  far  as  we  have  come  yet  can  find  Corn 
or  Oats  mostly  at  every  house  not  listen  to  what  no  man  tells 
you  about  Hay  or  Corn  being  dear  because  the  farther  we  go 
we  find  it  the  cheaper  for  we  have  paid  before  we  came  here 
as  much  as  5sh.  per  bushel  all  that  I  have  seen  in  Iowa  is  7 
Deer  as  far  as  I  have  travelled  Yet  one '"Wolf  passed  Across 
the  road  about  20  Rod  from  &  we  could  not  get  loaded  soon 
enough  we  saw  two  Massausagin  Snakes  from  5  to  6  ft  long 
on  May  1st.  the  French  boys  &  Wellen  stuck  in  a  Sluegh  & 
we  came  to  it  &  their  was  a  great  many  camp'd  and  they  told 
us  that  there  was  boys  from  G.  Point  stuck  here,  so  we  made 
a  Bridge  and  got  over 

Sunday  evening  May  2d  we  campd  at  4  OClock  in  the  af- 
ternoon at  the  foot  of  a  Hill  near  to  a  creek  a  little  from  Tom 
Mitchel  on  the  top  of  the  Hill  the  most  of  Iowa,  as  far  as  we 
have  come  yet  is  a  beautiful  rolling  Country  rather  hilly  in 
places  but  Timber  scarce 

May  3d.  left  Tom  Mitchels  camp  ground  Lightning  Thun- 
der &  rain  mostly  all  night  lay  behind  some  bushes  with  a 
Blanket  John  and  me.  came  on  next  day  at  noon  within  % 

[157] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 


mile  of  Desmois  [Des  Moines]  rained  part  of  the  forenoon 
part  pretty  bad  going  on  ace1,  of  the  rain  we  crossed  the  Des- 
mois Eiver  about  3  OClock  afternoon  the  Do  [ditto]  about  the 
width  of  Chicago  River  the  Town  lies  in  a  valley  surrounded 
by  Hills  a  vast  Plain  but  a  poor  looking  Town  no  Streets 
put  in  any  shape  the  Fort  was  down  at  a  point  of  the  River 
but  it  is  all  pulled  down  Corn  here  35cts  pr  Bushel  no  more 
grass  than  you  have  where  you  live  no  farming  much  done 
it  is  the  latest  season  ever  was  known  here,  at  the  head  of 
the  Town  we  cross  Coon  [Racoon]  River  on  another  Perry 
.we  camp >d  on  the  top  of  a  Hill  about  one  mile  from  the  Perry 


NEBRASKA 


DES   MOINES  TO  GRAND  ISLAND 
.      SO    MILES 


took  our  Blankets  and  lay  before  a  black  oak  fire  we  came 
on  about  14  miles  and  turned  out  in  the  sleugh  to  feed  grass 
about  3  inch  long  first  good  grass  we  have  to  corn  6s  pr 
Bushel.  "We  crossed  before  noon  North  R.  12  miles  from  Des- 
mois Elk  are  here  very  plenty  but  we  have  seen  none  wild 
yet  a  good  many  tame  in  Desmois. 

May  4th.  12  mile  from  Winterset  county  seat  about  6  miles 
from  Desmoines  the  Prarie  are  all  green  &  pretty  good  feed 
in  the  Sleughs  and  valleys  of  100s.  of  Acres,  we  camp'd  all 
night  6  miles  from  Winterset  under  a  high  hill  in  a  valley,  it 
is  first  patch  of  fall  wheat  fit  to  be  seen  over  ground  was  at 
this  camp 

May  4th.  we  left  7  OClock  in  the  morning  passed 
through  Winterset  6  miles  and  noond  7  miles  beyond  one  hun- 

[158] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

dred  and  twelve  miles  from  the  Bluffs  plenty  of  limestone 
and  stone  for  building  have  a  fine  rolling  country  but  grass 
not  over  2  inches  in  the  Sleughs  we  passed  over  600  Head 
of  cattle  for  California  on  waggons  and  driving  together  before 
noon 

May  5th.  no  House  from  Winterset— the  Widow  Dewyres  boy 
&  Ponies  camp'd  the  night  before  us  at  the  North  River  be- 
tween Desmoine  &  Winterset  I  saw  his  name  when  he 
camped  wrote  on  a  Tree  &  100s  for  by  [besides]8  him  trav- 
elled across  Prarie  26  miles  from  House  to  our  encampment 
all  night  beside  a  grove  &  creek  called  Alcorns  Travellers 
rest  that  made  32  miles  that  day 

next  morning  [6th]  left  camp  7  OClock  for  a  35  mile  Pra- 
rie without  house  or  timber  passed  one  dead  Ox  &  Horse 
laying  by  a  Sleugh  fine  rolling  Prarie  saw  day  before  noon 
about  300  head  of  cattle  for  by  [besides]  Horse  teams  I  could 
not  tell  how  many  last  night  rained  pretty  hard  5th.  6th.  this 
days  travel.  camp.d  all  night  at  a  creek  the  worst  to  cross 
on  each  side  for  mud  I  ever  saw  we  had  to  stop  pretty  near 
2  hours  and  cut  brush  to  get  through  &  some  others  about 
300  head  of  cattle  crossed  before  us  and  that  finished  it  we 
caught  some  fish,  this  Prarie  is  35  miles  from  House  to  House 

Friday  7th.  May  left  the  Creek  at  7  OClock  passed  a  tre- 
mendous lot  of  Elk  horns  on  this  35  miles  route  on  the  road; 
&  saw  them  lying  off  on  the  Prarie  we  noon'd  at  the  end  of 
the  35  M  route  from  House  to  House  a  handsome  grove  and 
fine  rolling  Prarie  &  a  Creek  and  a  good  Spring  close  by  the 
Creek  gravel  &  sand  bottom  very  cold  water  now  we  start 
for  the  afternoon  across  the  Prarie  for  15  Miles  to  an  Indian 
Settlement  May  7th.  grass  very  good  Oats  $1  pr  B.  Corn 
the  same  Hay  40cts  pr  Hundred  we  got  to  this  Indian  Set- 
tlement about  5  OClock  about  4  Houses  in  a  small  grove 
scattered  along  the  Bank  of  the  River  called  Indian  Creek 
they  have  got  a  Scow  here  in  the  time  of  high  water  camp  'd 
on  the  Bank  all  night  to  this  from  noon  is  15  miles  from 
House  to  House. 


•Following  a  Scotch  usage,  Turnbull  often  writes  "for  by"  when  he 
means  besides. 

[159] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

Saturday  8th.  left  in  the  morning  and  crossed  Indian  Creek 
about  one  mile  from  the  Camp  a  good  many  Scattering 
Houses  in  the  grove  of  timber  a  pretty  hilly  country  as  far 
as  we  have  come  the  next  Settlement  was  mount  Scott  a 
very  fine  Grove  &  some  good  Farms.  Corn  40cts  pr  B.  crossed 
the  Eichnabotaneich,  [Nishnabotna,  W.  Branch]  by  Ferry  a 
small  creek  and  camp'd  one  mile  beyond  all  night 

next  morning  9th.  travelled  through  Potomatona  Village  & 
Crossed  Silver  Creek  by  bridge  &  some  handsome  Farms  it 
stands  on  a  very  handsome  plain  camp'd  about  3  Oclock  in 
the  afternoon  about  6  miles  from  Kainsville  &  11  from  the 
Bluffs, 

left  in  the  morning  &  passed  through  CottsVille  before  we 
got  to  the  Bluffs,  Corn  at  the  Bluffs  25cts.  pr  B—  Corn 
meal  at  Kainsville  Ib  60cts  the  Bluffs  commences  before  you 
get  to  Kainsville.  Cottsville  is  about  a  mile  long  small  log 
House  Shingled  &  covered  with  mud,  Kainsville  such  a  rush 
of  waggons  &  Horses,  Cattle,  &  Mules,  no  one  never  saw  in 
no  fare  [fair]  in  the  Old  country  we  stopt  all  night  at  Kains- 
ville.9 and  camp'd  among  the  Bluffs.  K — stands  in  a  hollow 


9  A  ferry  had  been  operated  since  1849  from  Kanesville,  Iowa,  to  the 
foot  of  the  bluffs  across  the  Missouri  River,  where  Omaha  was  founded 
in  1854.  W.  D.  Brown  was  using  a  steam  ferryboat  here  in  1853,  but  in 
1852  there  was  no  important  community  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Mis- 
souri. Bellevue,  at  the  lower  end  of  the  plateau  known  as  Council 
Bluffs,  some  ten  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Platte,  and  an  equal  dis- 
tance below  Omaha,  contained  a  trading  post  and  a  mission,  and  was 
the  centre  of  white  activity  in  Nebraska.  Col.  Peter  A.  Sarpy  operated 
a  ferry  here,  touching  on  the  Iowa  side  a  settlement  known  as  Nebraska 
in  1849  and  Council  Bluffs  in  1850.  In  1853  the  name  Council  Bluffs, 
formerly  applied  to  several  places  in  the  vicinity  of  the  plateau,  was 
appropriated  by  Kanesville.  The  original  Kanesville  was  on  the  eastern 
side  of  the  Missouri  in  a  gully  in  the  bluffs,  through  which  the  Iowa 
trails  reached  the  bottom  lands,  at  the  northern  end  of  the  bottom. 
It  was  five  miles  east  of  the  river.  The  Mormons  established  the  town, 
which  was  still  an  important  station  on  their  overland  route  in  1852. 
Cf.  the  Omaha  and  Vicinity  quadrangle  of  the  U.  S.  Topographical 
Map;  Annals  of  Iowa,  3  ser.,  v,  p.  452;  Transactions  of  the  Nebraska 
State  Hist.  Soc.,  ii,  p.  295;  iv,  p.  152;  xv,  p.  22,  note  8;  xvi,  p.  69;  2  sen, 
ii,  p.  37. 

[1601 


Turnbull's  Travels 

-surrounded  by  Bluffs,  small  round  hills  and  gulleys  for  miles 
camp'd  here  on  Monday  night  [also.] 

11th  May  Boots,  shoes,  &  clothing  about  the  same  as  they 
are  in  Chicago,  Corn  25cta.  pr  Ib.  oats  SO0*8  Bacon  12y2cts.  Sales 
at  Auction  every  hour  in  the  day  Flour,  $16  pr  Barrel  on 
Acct  of  the  Emigration  $3.50  their  is  some  of  the  greatest 
scoundrels  I  ever  saw  here  I  saw  old  Finnerty  at  Kainsville 
from  K — to  the  Moussouri  Ferry  the  Upper  Lower  &  Middle 
we  went  by  the  Upper  Ferry  10  Miles  from  Kainsville,  to  the 
Missouri  the  handsomest  Bluffs  &  Valleys  I  ever  saw  between 
Kainsville  &  Missouri  Ferry,  a  handsome  valley  on  the  right 
&  left  for  about  6  miles  to  the  Ferry,  the  River  is  very 
wide  about  600  yds.  &  Sawyers  coming  down  in  every  direc- 
tion enough  to  capsize  a  Scow,  they  have  3  Scows,  running 
all  the  time  since  the  20th.  April  on  the  other  side  the  Bluffs 
are  about  the  height  of  the  Banks  at  Taylors  Pier  some  old 
Indian  houses  by  the  Ferry  no  Indians  on  this  side  of  the 
Eiver  they  are  all  on  the  other  side  of  the  River  in  their  owtn 
Territory 10  here  are  the  remains  of  the  Old  Fort  Houses, 
mostly  all  pulled  down  on  each  side  of  the  River,  miserable 
for  people  to  live  in  &  thoroughfare  of  Waggons  equal  to 
"Whitsunbank, 

15th.  May  came  here  on  the  11th.  the  water  or  River  water 
is  nothing  but  like  the  colour  of  clay  &  sand  mixed  the  tim- 
ber around  this  Valley,  near  the  River  is  all  Cotton  wood 
Tom  Wellen  has  left  the  French  &  has  joined  Huntoon  & 
Reid  we  have  joined  a  company  here  &  the  French  boys  are 
all  here  &  a  good  many  others  from  Southport  &  the  Mehan 
Settlement  if  you  want  friends  you  need  not  look  for  them 
here  if  you  knew  them  ever  so  well  we  came  to  the  Ferry 
on  the  Missouri  on  the  11th.  &  left  it  had  to  wait  4  days  be- 
fore we  got  across  and  Ferry  across  all  night  for  the  company 


10  The  Potawatomi  Indians  agreed,  by  treaty  of  June,  1846,  to  cede 
the  lands  in  western  Iowa,  given  them  at  Chicago  in  1833,  and  to  retire 
west  of  the  Missouri  River.  On  February  24,  1847,  the  Iowa  legislature 
created  a  county  in  the  ceded  district,  giving  it  their  name.  The 
county  was  organized  the  next  year,  and  reduced  to  its  present  size  in 
1851.  F.  H.  Garver,  "History  of  the  Establishment  of  Counties  in 
Iowa,"  in  Iowa  Journal,  vi,  p.  409,  and  maps  x  and  xi. 


161] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

of  us  but  the  wind  blew  so  hard  that  we  had  to  give  up  about 
3  OClock  in  the  morning  I  was  all  night  Ferrying  I  had  a 
hard  one  how  the  rest  was  you  may  guess 

the  wind  blew  hard  all  next  day  so  we  got  over  on  Sunday 
night  with  the  last  waggon  16th.  May  &  Camp'd  all  night  on  the 
top  of  the  Bluffs,  where  the  council  was  held  the  old  houses  are 
the  ruins  of  4  or  5  logs  high  a  very  cold  night  Indians  all 
naked  kept  looking  at  a  distance  we  kept  watch  all  night 
called  Nebraski  Territory,  PotatWatamies  crossed  Papaw 
[Papillon]  Creek  before  stopping  all  night11 

left  next  morning  and  came  through  a  very  handsome  coun- 
try &  crossed  Elk  horn  by  Ferry  belonging  to  the  Pawnees, 
.oamap'd  t[w]o  miles  beyond  Ferry,  & 

next  morning  commenced  on  the  Plains  among  the  Paw- 
nees watered  at  Bridge  Creek  on  the  Forenoon  passed  Paw- 
nee Huts  away  about  %  mile  across,  to  the  left  across  Loop 
Fork  Camp'd  along  side  off  the  Platt  River12  18th  tremenduous 
cold  it  has  been  very  cold  ever  since  we  left  only  about  3  days 
&  parts  of  days  Dwyres  Boys  camp'd  all  night  about  5  Rod 
from  us  &  about  800  head  of  cattle  cows  &  Waggons  for  Ore- 
gon &  California  25  Miles  Journey  of  18th  on  the  Banks  of 
the  Platt  as  wide  as  the  Mississippi  in  places,  Cotton  wood 
plenty  on  the  Banks  grass  about  6  inches  long 

19th.  of  May  nooned  about  3m.  from  the  Platt  pretty  low 
land  until  noon  Villages  along  on  the  hills  of  Indians  built 
with  sods  before  we  crossed  Shell  Creek,  before  noon  19th  on 
a  Bridge  there  are  houses  on  the  left  of  the  Platt  all  along 
Villages  of  Sods  to  be  seen  on  every  mountain  camp'd  all 
night  about  i/2  miles  from  the  Platt  on  the  Prarie  ourselves 
alone 


11  An  elaborate  map  of  Nebraska  and  Dakota,  summarizing  the  ob- 
servations of  U.  S.  exploring  parties  to  1856,  was  drawn  by  Lieut.  G.  K. 
Warren  of  the  Topographical  Engineers,  and  printed  by  the  U.  S.  Sen- 
ate, 35th  Cong.,  1st  sess.  The  trails  along  the  Platte  River  have  been 
described  by  Albert  Watkins  in  J.  S.  Morton,  Illustrated  Hist,  of  Ne- 
braska (Lincoln,  1905-13,  3  vols.),  i,  pp.  73-94. 

18  The  numerous  trails  from  the  Missouri  River,  across  the  peninsula 
between  that  stream  and  the  Platte,  merged  into  the  main  trail  near 
Fremont,  Dodge  County,  Nebraska. 

[162] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

left  on  [blank  in  Ms.]  and  went  about  6  miles  until  we  came 
to  the  Ferry  called  Loup  Fork13  and  took  our  waggons  over, 
on  the  evening  by  2  Scows  went  down  below  and  took  our 
horses  across  about  %  mile  deep  &  very  swift  current  about 
50  yds  wide  at  some  places  60  Rod,  $2.50  pr  waggon  &  50°ts. 
pr  piece  for  horses,  their  is  a  ford  below  about  18  miles 
some  went  to  ford  but  our  company  did  not  go  this  belongs 
to  the  Pawnees  but  half  breeds  rent  it  &  has  to  pay  them 
$1000  for  the  season  so  you  can  see  the  number  of  teams  the 
[that]  has  to  cross  for  about  2  or  3  months  to  make  it  pay  the- 
man  for  the  use  of  it.  Missouri  (about  20  men  kept)  Loup 
Fork  (about  8  kept)  some  little  timber  close  by  it  &  a  few 
logs  thrown  up  to  shelter  them  from  the  wind  there  was  a 
company  attackted  here  by  Indians  and  they  fought  2  days — • 
some  killed  on  both  sides  9  Indians  they  say  were  killed  & 
2  white  men  badly  wounded  one  killed  we  met  some  begging 
but  we  passed  &  would  not  give  them  any  thing  some  white 
men  gave  them  a  paper  &  said  dont  give  them  any  thing  but 
pass  on  &  not  give  them  any  thing  on  this  side  are  the 
Sioux  on  ace.*  of  the  River  we  had  to  stop  here  14  until  the 

21st.  left  in  the  mornng  9  OClock:  came  on  the  18th.  a  ter- 
rible cold  rain  met  a  man  that  lost  6  Horses  40  miles  ahead, 
we  passed  one  grave  about  3  ft.  long  now  buried  just  before 
we  camp'd  saw  a  good  many  Buffaloe  sculls,  campd  all  night 
close  by  some  high  hills  about  1  mile  from  Loup  Fork  had 
some  small  willows  for  fire  passed  next  morning  before  noon 
2  Wolves  about  5  Rod  from  the  road  23  miles  to  day  plenty 
of  water  &  good  grass  "Wells  &  Sleughs  the  River  Loup  Fork 
all  along  for  about  2  miles  a  handsome  plain  and  some  places 
high  hills  sandy  camp  'd  all  night  on  a  handsome  plain  &  Creek 
all  through  it  Sunday  afternoon  23d  4  Ock  good  grass  plenty 


18  The  Pawnee  made  the  Loup  Fork  of  the  Platte  their  chief  residence, 
and  were  a  source  of  constant  nervousness  to  emigrants  along  the  trail. 

14  After  crossing  the  Loup  Fork,  Turnbull  kept  close  to  the  south  bank 
of  that  river  for  two  days,  and  then  returned  to  the  Platte  near  the 
head  of  Grand  Island.  His  route  was  surveyed  by  Captain  Dickerson 
in  1856,  in  pursuance  of  an  act  of  Congress,  February  17,  1865,  for  the 
construction  of  a  territorial  road  from  Council  Bluffs  to  New  Fort 
Kearney  (sic).  It  is  shown  on  G.  K.  Warren's  map. 

[163] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 


water  [and]  wood  along  the  Fork  River  1  mile  pretty  warm 
day  people  camp'd  all  along  plenty  Buff[alo]  tracks  going  to 
the  River 

24th.  passed  two  dead  Horses  saw  two  Antelope  some 
very  bad  Sleughs  road  sandy  before  noon  plenty  Buffalo 
tracks  as  high  as  a  ridge  of  Corn  from  15  to  20  tracks  wide  a 
fine  looking  country  4  miles  from  Fork,  afternoon  travelled 


50    MILES 

GRAND   ISLAND 
TO  THE  NOKTH  PLATTE. 


through  sand  hills  &  sand  pretty  heavy  road  from  Loup  Fork 
Ford  road  where  it  comes  into  the  Ferry  Road  saw  a  young 
Buffalo  lying  forequarters  &  heads  of  numbers  camp'd  all 
night  among  the  Sand  hills  grass  4  inches  high  plenty  of 
holes  dug  for  water  &  a  good  stream  at  the  camp  24th.  fore- 
noon passed  2  graves  buried  1849,  afternoon  crossed  Wood 
River  and  camp'd  5  miles  beyond  on  a  high  gravel  &  black 
muck  banks  the  handsomest  piece  of  Prarie  mostly  ever  I 
saw  between  the  River  &  a  large  grove  of  timber  running 
straight  along  the  Prarie  about  2  miles  wide  a  beautiful  ev- 
ening &  good  valley  grass 

25th.  left  next  morning  7  OClock,     while  eating  breakfast 
a  large  black  wolf  passed  about  20  Rod  from  us    Left  at  half 

[164] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

past  5  OClock  forenoon  passed  on  Grave  1851.  2  waggon 
tires  &  a  great  deal  of  large  Iron  where  we  touched  the 
Platt  River,  and  a  good  well  of  water  coming  out  of  Gravel 
&  sand  the  first  day  that  i  could  call  warm  since  I  left  left 
the  place  where  we  touched  the  Platt  about  100  yds  running 
parallel  good  clear  stream  a  fork  of  Platt  is  nothing  but 
sand  and  mud  mixed  like  the  most  of  the  Rivers  in  the  west 
"W.  S.  "W.  to  day  at  noon  afternoon  very  hot  come  along 
within  2  miles  of  the  Platt  timber  for  wood  Willow  Bushes 
camp'd  5  OClock,  first  night  for  Musquitoes 

26th.  Left  morning  at  6  OClock  saw  I  Antelope  plenty  of 
ground  Hogs  &  Gulls  a  handsome  plain  Dwyers  Boy  was 
about  two  rod  from  us  afternoon  we  passed  one  cow  with 
a  libel  [label]  on  her  [that]  any  one  wants  her  can  have 
her  we  touched  within  about  4  OClock  4  Miles  of  St.  Joe 
road  a  great  many  teams  left  it  &  crossed  the  Platt  opposite 
us.15  cool  forenoon  very  hot  afternoon. 

27th.  left  us  6  Oclk  crossed  a  great  many  different  places 
to  cross  let  down  the  waggons  by  holding  on  a  rope  behind 
and  pulling  them  in  front  same  way  &  Horses  plenty  of  Buffa- 
loe  heads  &  dung  made  fire  to  cook  by  this  morning  touched 
the  Platt  River  about  12  OClock 

28th  [The  river  is]  one  mile  wide  mixed  with  sand  crossed 
Elm  Creek  nooned  about  one  mile  below  [where]  we  touched 


"Fort  Kearny,  opposite  which  Turnbull  arrived  on  May  26,  was  es- 
tablished for  the  defense  of  the  Oregon  emigrants  on  the  south  side  of 
the  Platte,  near  the  head  of  Grand  Island,  under  an  act  of  Congress  of 
May  19,  1846.  It  was  originally  named  Fort  Childs,  but  soon  became 
known  as  New  Fort  Kearny,  in  distinction  from  an  earlier  Fort  Kearny, 
built  on  Table  Creek  (later  Nebraska  City),  in  1846,  and  named  for 
Col.  Stephen  W.  Kearny.  The  modern  spelling  of  the  name  is  due  to 
an  erroneous  usage  that  has  become  statutory.  At  or  near  Fort  Kearny 
the  trails  from  Westport,  Independence,  and  St.  Joseph  reached  the 
great  Oregon  Trail,  that  followed  the  south  bank  of  the  river.  Turn- 
bull  uniformly  speaks  of  this  as  the  St  Joe  road.  Albert  Watkins  has 
an  excellent  "History  of  Fort  Kearny"  in  Transactions  of  the  Nebraska 
State  Hist.  Soc.,  xvi,  pp.  227-267.  Fremont  had  in  1842  recommended 
Grand  Island  "as  the  best  point  for  a  military  position  on  the  Lower 
Platte."  Report,  78.  There  is  a  large  map  of  the  Oregon  Trail  accom- 
panying F.  G.  Young,  "The  Oregon  Trail"  in  Quarterly  of  the  Oregon 
Hist  Soc.,  i,  p.  339. 

F1651 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

the  Platt  grass  very  scarce  low  land  afternoon  left  at  2 
OClock  not  very  hot,  touched  the  Platt  again  about  4  OClk 
campd  all  night  on  the  Banks  of  the  Platt  Buffaloe  Heads  & 
horns  lying  in  every  direction  Waggons,  Cattle,  &  Horses  as 
far  as  you  can  see  on  South  side  of  the  Platt,  the  St.  Joe  Road 
is  on  the  other  side  a  handsome  flat  country  for  miles  on 
each  side  of  us  &  then  pretty  high  mountains  on  each  side 
banks  high  Grey  Wolves  are  here  at  night  plenty 

Sat  [urday]  29th.  forenoon  passed  one  Grave  buried  26th.  1852. 
Aged  23,  passed  a  good  well  about  6  ft.  Buffaloe  Dung  lying 
as  thick  as  it  is  in  your  yard  at  home  &  bones  laying  all  over 
some  killed  this  spring,  very  smooth  road  in  places  other 
places  a  little  too  sandy  10  nooned  about  one  mile  from  the 
Platt.  we  passed  [in  the]  forenoon  over  1000  head  of  cat- 
tle for  by  Horses  &  Mules  the  best  cattle,  &  Horses  I  mostly 
ever  saw,  afternoon  passed  one  grave  1851.  came  through 
heavy  sand  about  2  miles  among  some  high  hills  the  rest  of 
the  road  some  sandy 

30th.  about  1000  Cattle  within  3  miles  Horses,  &  mules,  Sun- 
day forenoon  passed  along  some  very  high  hills  of  sand  road 
pretty  deep  &  part  of  it  very  good  we  saw  7  Buffaloe  on  the 
top  of  a  hill  we  followed  but  they  ran  passed  5  men  dig- 
ging a  grave  an  old  Lady  died  in  Cholera  a  great  many  are 
dying  on  the  St  Joe  Road,  we  have  been  in  sight  for  a  good 
many  days  they  are  crossing  the  Platt  in  all  directions  a 
great  many  Buffaloe  has  been  killed  this  spring  we  nooned 
about  5  Rod  from  Carson  Creek,  very  hot  all  day  grass  very 
good  Buffaloe  grass  about  the  same  as  the  2d.  Crop  of  red 
top  about  4in.  long  afternoon  left  at  1  OClock,  passed  or 
touched  the  Platt  about  3  oclock,  passed  one  grave  &  lots  of 
OX  Teams,  some  Buffaloe  new  killed  by  hunters  belonging  to 
companies  high  hills  all  along  of  sand  on  each  side  of  this 
wide  River,  campd  Sunday  night  5  OClock 

31st.  left  morning  5%     crossed  Mud  Creek  North  Fork.17 


18  Fremont  passed  over  this  road  on  his  return  in  1842,  and  reported 
it  as  good  and  frequently  used. 

17  The  St.  Joe  road  followed  the,  South  Fork  of  the  Platte,  going 
around  O'Fallon's  Bluff,  then  crossed  the  South  Fork,  and  reached  the 
North  Fork  at  Ash  Creek.  R.  G.  Thwaites,  Early  'Western  Travels 
(Cleveland,  1904-07),  xxi,  note  58;  xxx,  note  64. 

[1661 


Turnbull's  Travels 

passed  one  Buffaloe  laying  dead  &  a  great  many  others  that 
had  been  lately  killed  3  dead  "Wolves,  came  along  side  of 
the  Platt,  until  about  9  OClock,  then  turned  up  a  valley  be- 
tween high  sand  hills  &  then  down  to  the  valley  %m.  from  the 
Platt.  afternoon  left  1  OClock  saw  5  Buffaloe  on  the  top  of 
a  sand  hill  Afternoon  travelled  through  sand  &  over  hills  & 
down  valleys  of  sand  to  get  round  a  point  of  the  Platt,  where 
the  Banks  are  very  high  hills  of  sand  about  1  Hour  as  bad 
as  the  Widow  Traders,  we  passed  across  2  very  fine  brooks 
that  comes  out  of  the  Mountains  from  Springs  stop*  about  4 
OClock  to  let  our  Horses  feed  took,  some  mush  &  went  on 
again  a  little,  hot  but  a  good  wind,  plenty  of  small  willow 
bushes,  after  4  oCLK  went  through  some  very  high  hills 
passed  a  Dubuque  Co.  of  80  Waggons  &  campd.  %  miles 
from  River. 

Tuesday  June  1.  left  camp  at  6  Oclock  left  7  Oclock 
come  through  a  plain  Sandy  very  good  road  &  plenty 
of  good  springs  water,  Creeks,  crossing  the  road  Buffaloe 
Bones,  &  dung  laying  as  thick  as  it  can  lay  nooned  about 
y2  Mile  from  the  River  no  timber  on  the  road  to  Fort  Lar- 
amie  for  200  Miles,  afternoon  left  at  1  OClock,  on  the  other 
side  of  the  River,  some  high  sand  hills  covered  with  scrubby 
trees  the  St  Joe  travellers  has  to  go  behind  these  on  Ace*. 
of  the  Bluffs  running  down  to  the  edge  of  the  River,  the  Platt, 
&  also  all  these  Rivers  from  the  Missourie  are  all  quicksand 
Bottom  &  half  mud  a  little  Indian  meal  soon  settles  it  good 
healthy  water  Bluff  Streams  are  all  clear  springs  from  the 
Valleys  between  these  mountains,  Buffaloe  grass  good  & 
seems  to  be  as  hard  feed  as  tame  grass,  passed  one  waggon 
cut  spokes  all  out  for  fire  wood  Buffaloe  dung  lying  in 
every  direction  it  makes  a  grand  fire  part  of  a  Buffaloe 
taken  &  the  rest  left.  Bones  lying  all  over,  campd.  about 
1/2  mile  from  the  River,  on  a  clear  Creek  running  from  a 
Spring 

2d.  left  6  Oclock,  went,  through  some  high  sand  hills  and 
passed  over  some  brooks  all  springs  from  the  sand  saw  some 
part  of  a  Buffaloe  that  had  been  killed  lately  passed  close  [clothes] 
thrown  away  on  the  Road  Bed  Close,  Bags,  Saddle,  Irons, 
both  heavy  &  Light  of  all  kinds  nooned  about  mile  from  the 

r  167 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

Platt.  grass  very  short  on  Ace*,  of  so  many  teams,  afternoon 
left  at  2  oClock,  passed  a  great  many  Fires,  Irons  of  Waggons, 
Wheels,  ground  dogs  killed  by  people  passing  the  whole 
Plains  dug  up  by  them  camp'd  all  night  on  the  banks  of  the 
Platt.  5  Oclock  passed  one  grave  1849,  from  where  I  could 
not  tell,  we  camp'd  all  night  good  Buffaloe  grass  &  plenty 
water 

Thursday,  4th.  [3d]  touched  the  Platt,  different  times  and 
then  crossed  a  Creek  from  thence  camp'd  nooned  at  Dry 
Creek  30  ft  wide  all  sand  no  water  afternoon  passed  2  other 
sand  creek  or  dry  afternoon  went  through  some  very  high 
sand  hills  some  small  trees  on  the  tops  of  them  the  hand- 
somest crevices  cut  by  water  40  to  50  ft  deep  the  grandest 
appearance  I  mostly  ever  saw  some  high  pinnacles  looks  al- 
most like  stone  also  some  very  handsome  shell  rock  the 
sand  hills  are  as  hard  as  iron  on  the  track,  after  that  we 
passed  2  graves  one  Woman  buried  52.  Buried  1851,  and  1 
young  man  buried  23,  1852,  after  that  road  sandy  until  ev- 
ening, about  the  same  as  you  have  got  on  the  ridge  by  smiths 
camp'd  about  %  mile  from  the  Platt,  last  night  very  cold  we 
can  see  the  Chimney  Rock  &  Scotts  Bluffs  from  here  to  night 
&  a  great  many  other  curiosities  a  large  heap  of  stones  just 
the  shape  of  a  Castle  a  great  distance  from  here  the  Chimney 
can  be  seen  1  day  before  you  get  to  it  &  one  day  after  you  pass 
it  &  so  before  you  have  sight  of  it. 

Friday  morning  4th.  left  7  Oclock  road  middling  sandy 
some  Bluffs  touched  at  the  Platt  for  water  also  some  sleughs 
plenty  water  nooned  about  %  mile  from  Platt  very  short 
grass  middling  warm  69  miles  from  Fort  Laramie  left  at 
noon  2  Oclock  a  first  rate  road  some  places  a  little  sandy  dust 
very  hot  campd  adl  night  on  the  banks  of  the  Platte  about 
2  miles  from  the  road  by  appearance  about  %  mile  to  Chim- 
ney Rock  on  the  other  side  of  the  Platt  the  river  is  pretty 
wide  or  I  should  have  gone  over  to  see  it  it  is  covered  with 
names  all  over  from  all  parts  I  should  think  by  appea[ra]nce 
it  is  not  over  %  mile  from  St.  Joe  Road  they  say  it  is  over 
10  miles  there  are  many  romantic  scenes  along  these  Bluffs, 
beyond  these  ahead  of  us  we  can  see,  Scotts  Bluffs,  the  Court 

[168] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

House,  Chimney  Rock,18  all  the  same  ridge  of  hills    pretjty 
cold  last  night 

5th.  left  this  morning  forenoon  touched  the  Platt  once 
handsome  grass  short  middling  cool,  saw  one  dead  Ox. 
nooned  about  %  mile  from  Platt  these  romantic  places  are 
just  similar  to  buildings  &  fortifications  travelled  Saturday 
afternoon  until  about  4  OClock  camp'd  on  the  Banks  of  the 
Platt  opposite  to  some  half  breed  wigwams  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Platt.  they  buy  furs  from  the  Hunters  &  take  them  to 
St.  Louis  we  are  still  in  sight  of  Chimney  Rock,  these  Hills 
of  sand  on  the  St  Joe.  side  appear  like  rocks  they  look  like 
buildings  &  fortifications  built  with  hands. 

Sunday  6th.  last  night  it  lightned  thundered  &  rain'd  until 
morning  very  cold  packers  lying  on  the  bank  all  night  no 
fire,  these  are  [of]  the  same  range  [as]  Scotts  Bluffs  rain  be- 
gem 1  Oclok  and  rained  until  6  at  night  very  cold  rain 
by  Monday  morning  until  10  Oclock,  followed  the  Bank, 
passed  one  dead  Ox  one  Horse  left  Pole  evil  taken  along  by 
one  of  the  same  copy.  road  very  good  nooned  on  a  flat  Close 
by  the  Platt,  3  Islands  of  small  Cotton  "Wood,  grass  pretty 
good  afternoon  passed  one  dead  Ox.  one  grave  1851.  some 
large  hills  of  rock  limestone  &  lime  slacked  as  good  as  burnt 
drifted  hills  of  sand  &  handsome  hills  of  grass  camp'd  all 
night  on  the  banks  of  the  Platt,  lots  of  cotton  wood  all  along 
the  Banks  &  a  great  many  Islands  in  the  River  Road  very 
good  plenty  water  grass  not  very  good  a  great  many 
prickly  Pears  on  these  Praries 

Tuesday  8th.  left  at  6  OClock,  passed  one  Creek  passed 
one  trading  station  made  of  wigwam  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Platt  plenty  of  water  Bushes  all  along  on  the  River  &  hills 
rocks  and  sand  plenty  drift  wood  &  Buntons  19  road  all  sandy 
middling  good  some  pretty  large  Trees  along  the  Banks  of 
the  River  nooned  about  11  OClock  afternoon  passed  one 
grave  Marked  James  B.  Cox  old  graves,  road  pretty  deep 


"There  are  good  photographs  of  Court  House,  Chimney  Rock,  and 
Scott's  Bluff  in  Morton,  Nebraska,  i,  pp.  82-96. 

1BBunton,  meaning  unknown.  Murray  gives  bunt  as  a  sort  of  fire- 
wood; Century  Dictionary  gives  buntons  as  cut  timbers  for  framing  a 
mine. 

[169] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

sand  from  here  to  Fort  Laramie  got  opposite  the  Fort  about 
4  OClock,20  it  stands  in  a  valley  surrounded  by  hills  cov- 
ered by  small  cedars,  the  Laramie  Fork  runs  into  the  Platt 
here  the  St.  Joe  Road  crosses  the  Fork  &  we  still  go  along 
on  this  side  of  the  Platt  about  80  Rods  here  apart  we  can 
cross  this  Ferry  if  we  wish,  to  go  on  the  St  Joe  route  it  is  a 
wild  looking  River  here  runs  very  swift  at  the  opposite  side 
of  the  Ferry  there  is  a  Blacksmith  &  waggon  makers  shop  the 
Garrison  &  Houses  are  built  with  Spanish  Brick  number  about 
12  Houses  the  Garrison  is  about  2  miles  from  the  Ferry  Hun- 
dreds of  Ponies,  Horses,  Oxen,  Mules,  &  Waggons  around  here, 


<#-  VXL 

«\ 

^Y  TORT  LARAMiEL 

TO  GfiEEN  KWEK 

Y  0  M  I   N  G 


COLORADO 


some  great  mountains  make  there  appeance  before  you  get  to 
the  Fork  some  distance  of[f]  apparently  covered  with 
snow  on  the  top  some  of  the  Compy.  went  to  leave  letters 
at  the  Fort,  lots  of  Indians  camp'd  on  each  side  of  the  Riv- 


"°  Fort  Laramie,  long  a  trading  post,  and  bought  as  a  military  station 
under  the  act  of  1846,  is  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Laramie  River  about 
two  miles  above  its  mouth.  Its  location  is  shown  on  the  Hartville 
quadrangle  of  the  Topog.  Map  of  the  U.  S.  There  is  a  sketch  of  the 
old  fort  in  J.  C.  Fremont,  Report  (Washington,  1845),  p.  40.  A  good 
description  is  in  E.  Bryant,  What  I  saw  in  California  (New  York, 
1849),  p.  108.  Notes  upon  the  history  of  the  fort  are  in  Thwaites, 
Early  Western  Travels,  xxx,  p.  60,  xxi,  p.  181;  and  in  H.  H.  Bancroft, 
Hist.  Nevada,  Colorado,  and  Wyoming  (San  Francisco,  1890),  p.  683. 
The  usual  Mormon  Trail  crossed  the  Platte  here,  but  Turnbull  kept  to 
the  left  bank.  Bancroft,  Utah  (San  Francisco,  1890),  p.  254  (map). 

[170] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

ers,  Platt  &  Laramie  Fork,  we  left  about  5  Oclock  afternoon 
&  camp'd  about  4N  miles  from  the  Ferry  close  by  the  Platt 
handsome  valley  good  grass  &  plenty  dry  cottonwood  for  fire, 
handsome  hills  from  the  smallest  to  pretty  large  ones  covered 
with  Cedars  at  the  Fort  Hard  bread  $13  pr  C.  Loaf  bread 
worth  10cts.  in  Chicago  60cts.  here  Tobaco  6s  pr  Ib.  Vinegar 
$2  pr  Gallon  Tea  $2  pr  Ib.  every  thing  very  dear  wind 
blows  pretty  hard  all  day  sun  pretty  hot  nothing  extra 

Wednesday  9th.  pretty  cold  last  night  and  has  been  ever 
since  we  left  Chicago  some  nights  as  cold  as  fall  nights  the 
drums  beat  this  morning  before  we  started  came  along  the 
Banks  of  the  Platt  then  crossed  the  mountains  the  handsomest 
I  ever  saw  covered  with  Pine  Trees,  Rocks  &  sand  of  all  shapes 
&  forms,  up  hill  &  down  hills  &  round  gulleys,21  passed  good 
wagons,  &  Wheels  cut  up  for  no  purpose  one  of  our  compy. 
left  1  Set  of  Harness,  trowsers,  Coats,  Shirts,  strewed  all 
along  this  morning  we  leave  the  Platt  for  80m.  passed  3 
watering  places  before  11  OClock  forenoon,  pretty  good 
grass  along  these  Banks  &  gulleys  very  smooth  Road  but 
rather  Rocky  in  places  but  no  hills  wrorse  than  Garlands  much 
afternoon  left  at  1  OClock  passed  up  &  down  some  very  high 
pitches  of  hills  one  treemendous  pitch  all  round  stone  pretty 
rough  &  Hilly  until  about  4  OClock  passed  a  good  many 
waggons,  broke  up  passed  one  spring  crossed  on  Creek 
found  a  spring  about  y2  past  6  Oclock,  opposite  a  very  large 
hill  covered  by  small  cedars,  hilly  all  through  to  day,  sandy 
&  pretty  good  a  great  many  Horses  &  Cattle  are  here  to 
night  middling  warm  to  day  good  wind 

Thursday  10th.  pretty  cool  last  night  left  camp  7  Oclock 
&  came  to  a  handsome  Creek  of  spring  water  about  40  Rod 
from  where  we  stopp'd  all  night  9th.  after  that  we  came 
along  a  very  sidling  hill  &  thence  up  a  hill  of  rolling  stone 
short  but  steep  after  that  came  to  a  fine  rolling  Prairie 


m  There  are  few  streams  from  the  north  emptying  into  the  Platte  be- 
tween the  forks  and  the  Sweetwater.  The  watershed  on  this  side  is 
close  to  the  river  and  turns  the  rainfall  to  tributaries  of  the  Niobrara, 
Cheyenne,  and  Powder  rivers.  Numerous  streams,  rising  in  the  Black 
Hills,  as  the  Laramie  Range  was  often  called,  flow  from  the  south  into 
the  Platte. 

12  [  171  ] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

hills  all  around  next  .to  a  Creek  about  10  Oclock  passed 
some  of  the  greatest  mountains  of  curiosity  all  rocks  &  Scat- 
tering Pines  next  we  came  into  a  large  valley  for  some  ways, 
passed  1  Dead  Ox,  I  tired  touched  the  Platt22  about  12  OClock 
grass  very  poor  a  great  many  teams  some  Indian  Traders, 
&  Indian  camp  on  the  banks  of  the  Platt  whiskey  25  pr 
Dr[ink]  went  up  the  River  2  Miles  canip'd  4  Oclok  after- 
noon, grass  middling  good  &  plenty  water  very  hot  to  day 
a  middling  wind  in  the  afternoon  we  had  a  thunderstorm 
about  5  OClock  lasted  about  1  Hour  fine  evening  the  St 
Joe  Teams  are  in  a  constant  string  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Platt,  the  large  mountains  with  snow  on  Top  among  the 
Black  Hills,  on  the  St  Joe  side  at  Fort  Laramie  seems  not  to 
be  far  from  Laramie  we  have  travelled  for  2  days  over  hills 
&  down  gulleys  &  we  lay  just  opposite  it  to  night,  pretty 
cool  to  night 

Friday  11th.  left  at  6  OClock  came  to  one  Creek  Spring 
water  through  a  rolling  part  touched  Platt,  about  10  OClock 
passed  some  large  hills  of  rocks  &  gravel  between  these  lyes 
a  great  many  curiosity  of  sand  &  Clay  dug  by  the  water  in 
some  season  of  the  year,  mounds  of  sand  &  rock  around  & 
inside  of  it  all  shapes  good  wind  not  very  hot  roads  mid- 
dling good  sandy  no  timber  near  at  noon  Buffaloes  dung 
plenty  afternoon  left  Camp  at  2  OClock  followed  the  Platt 
about  1  Hour  went  down  the  Platt  &  watered  thence  fol- 
lowed a  glen  &  passed  over  some  hills  black  &  Freestone  & 
down  some  very  steep  ones  among  loose  stone  &  rock  very 
barren  no  bushes  only  on  the  Banks  of  the  Platt  touched 
the  Platt  again  about  4  OClock  passed  one  cow  left,  killed 


"The  North  Platte  was  crossed  at  various  places  between  La  Prfile 
Creek  and  the  Red  Buttes.  Following  the  disastrous  Powder  River 
expedition  of  1866  Fort  Fetterman  was  established  at  the  La  Prele 
crossing.  Fort  Casper  had  already  been  established  at  North  Platte 
Bridge.  Margaret  I.  Carrington,  Ab-sa-ra-ka  Home  of  the  Crows:  Be- 
ing the  Experience  of  an  Officer's  Wife  on  the  Plains  (Philadelphia, 
1869),  (a  fifth  ed.,  1879);  Frances  C.  Carrington,  My  Army  Life  and 
the  Fort  Phil  Kearney  Massacre  (Philadelphia,  1910),  (in  each  of 
these  is  a  useful  map  of  the  upper  Platte,  drawn  originally  to  illus- 
trate the  report  of  General  H.  B.  Carrington  which  is  printed  in  60 
Cong.,  1  sess.,  Sen.  Ex.  Docs.,  p.  33,  serial  2504). 

[1721 


Turnbull's  Travels 

one  Badger  among  the  rocks,  passed  some  handsome  rolling 
Country  grass  very  poor  mostly  all  sage,  we  had  to  travel  5 
Hours  before  we  found  grass,  not  very  good  camp  on  the 
Banks  of  the  Platt  the  wind  blew  tremendous  crossing  these 
hills  for  about  two  Hours  so  as  you  could  hardly  see  the 
Horses  for  dust,  pretty  cool  last  night  knats  pretty  bad, 
saw  some  Antelope  playing  themselves  this  morning 

Sat.  12  fine  morning,  left  Camp  7  Oclock,  stopt  &  fed 
about  10  Oclock,  good  grass  %'  mile  from  Platt,  passed  2 
Oxen  left  tired  one  Buffal°  killed  part  taiken  away  road 
pretty  heavy  sand  stopt  and  touched  the  Platte  9  Oclock 
Stop1,  on  the  top  of  a  very  high  hill  at  12  OClock  took  the 
Horses  over  the  Hill,  about  1  Mile  to  the  Platt  to  the  water 
then  began  to  climb  some  very  high  barren  hills,  &  down  some 
very  high  pitches  passed  an  old  Ferry,  then  ascended  some 
pretty  high  hills  &  down  some  very  high  pitches,  a  foot  path 
on  the  edge  of  the  Platt  passed  another  Ferry  about  1  Hour 
from  that  a  very  heavy  sand  all  day  as  bad  as  the  sand 
banks  between  the  Wind  Mill  &  Gross  Point  &  gulley  terrible 
to  look  at,  camp'd  6  Oclock  on  a  bend  of  the  Platt,  pretty 
middling  grass  no  grass  for  4  mile  back  hardly  on  Ace1,  of 
Wild  Sage,  pretty  high  wind  to  day  dust  enough  plenty 
white  wood  we  come  along  side  of  the  St  Joe  Road  this  af- 
ternoon we  have  not  seen  it  for  over  100  Miles  on  Ace1,  of  high 
mountains  we  are  X°out  100  Rod  from  it  they  have  the 
Cholera  among  them  &  has  had  for  some  time  back,  passed 
about  30  Men,  right  here  bound  for  the  States  from  Oregon 

Sunday  13th.  pretty  cold  last  night  about  10  OClock  hundred 
of  Indians  &  Ponies,  the  best  drest  Indians  I  have  seen  since 
I  left  Chicago,  money  in  bag  fulls  they  have  been  over  the 
Mountains  killing  Buffaloe  they  are  loaded  with  Buffaloe  meat 

covered  with  beads  &  all  kinds  of  rings  the or  Sioux8    2 

full  bred  pups  of  the  Fox  breed  came  to  our  camp  &  stopt  all 
day  100s  of  teams  are  passing  on  both  sides  of  the  River, 
within  speaking  of  each  other  2  first  rate  waggons  are  stand- 
ing here  on  an  Island  on  the  edge  of  the  Platte  sage  here 
kills  out  all  the  grass,  Alkali  is  here  all  over  the  Country  a 
large  grove  of  timber  all  along  the  Platt  here,  Started  from 
Camp  1  OClock,  came  over  some  very  high  hills  of  sand  & 

[173] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

some  of  it  very  deep  and  hilly  grass  rather  scarce  in  places 
camp'd  on  the  Banks  of  the  Platt  last  night  rained  some 
plenty  of  fire  wood 

Monday  14th.  left  camp  6  Oclock  came  up  1  pretty  long 
hill  &  some  others  middling  steep  touched  the  Platt  twice 
passed  2  flats  of  good  grass  before  10  OClock  stop1,  at  11 
OClock  on  a  large  flat  on  the  Banks  of  the  Platt,  left  at  1 
OClk.  &  commenced  to  climb  a  very  high  hill  all  pretty 
heavy  sand  this  forenoon,  one  dead  Horse,  some  cattle  left, 
one  dead  ox.  2  Graves  some  pretty  deep  sand  some  mid- 
dling good  grass  pretty  bad,  came  to  the  Upper  Ferry  of  the 
Platt  about  4  Oclock  this  is  where  all  the  St  Joe  teams  cross, 
called  the  Upper  Ferry23,  no  road  on  that  side  any  farther 
they  crossed  before  we  come  300  teams  &  lots  more  were  wait- 
ing for  a  chance  $5  pr  team  $1  pr  yoke  for  Cattle  $i£  for  a 
man  &  Horse  they  swim  the  most  of  their  Oxen  here  they 
swam  some  Horses  here  today  &  drown'd  some  men  6  Scows 
are  kept  here  by  French  &  Negroes  there  are  2  Roads  after 
you  leave  the  Ferry  up  a  high  hill,  one  straight  ahead  we  kept 
the  River  road  &  camp >d  4  Miles  on  the  Banks  of  the  Platt  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  River  we  can  look  at  the  Snow  on  the 
top  of  the  mountains  it  is  very  cold  this  evening  cold  enough 
to  wear  a  thick  coat,  on  the  right  hand  road  a  lake  about  4 
Miles,  on  this  road  this  is  the  handsomest  travelled  road  & 
widest  i  most  ever  saw  a  little  sand  on  top  limestone  &  Sand- 
stone below  forenoon  9  Oclock  stopt  &  fed  on  pretty  poor 
grass,  Alkali  in  all  the  water  along  it  is  said  to  have  killed 
100s  of  Horses  &  Cattle  a  distance  of  22i/2  Miles  to  a  place 
called  Willow  Springs  this  mornings  travel  is  rolling  &  Plain 
some  water  here  about  8  Miles  from  Ferry  about  10  Oclock 
come  to  a  spring  &  Lake  called  Alkali,  or  poison  spring  good 
grass  hear,  here  we  nooned  left  at  12  Oclock  &  passed 
through  Alkali  springs  the  ground  almost  covered  with  it  no 
good  water  for  about  4  Hours  drive  until  we  came  to  Willow 


"Platte  Upper  Perry,  which  became  North  Platte  Bridge,  was  later 
an  important  point  because  here  the  Mormon  and  Oregon  trails  merged 
as  one.  It  was  a  few  miles  east  of  the  Red  Buttes.  About  1865  Fort 
dasper  was  erected  here. 

[1741 


Turnbull's  Travels 

Springs24,  the  road  touches  it  at  the  bottom  a  valley,  if  you 
want  to  have  the  pure  stuff  come  up  the  Hill,  this  is  the  best 
Road  &  handsomest  i  ever  saw  about  60  yds  wide  this  region 
of  the  Country  is  full  of  Alkfali]  passed  6  Dead  Cattle  2 
Graves  1  Antelope  camp'd  6  oclock,  good  Buffaloe  grass 
about  1  Mile  from  the  road  a  Spring  Creek  running  through 
it  fine  rolling  land  to  day  but  barren  &  Sandy  covered  by 
Sage,  only  in  some  places,  between  the  Mountains  33  Miles, 
to  day  on  Ace*,  of  Poison  water  &  scarcity  of  grass,  pretty 
cool  to  night 

Wednesday  [Tuesday]  15th.  morning  left  7  oclk  come 
through  pretty  level  ground  very  heavy  sand,  passed  across 
one  Creek,  passed  a  good  many  Alkali  Ponds  Saleratus 
Lake  west  of  road  on  each  side  of  the  road  turned  of  [f]  the 
road  about  4  Mile  above  the  Devils  Gate  about  2  Miles  of 
the  Road  went  to  the  Sweet  water  Banks  &  Swam  our  Horses 
on  to  an  Island  good  grass  &  very  hot  day  nooned  here  for 
3  Hours  left  afternoon  1  OClock,  come  to  Independence 
Rock23  these  Rocks  stand  on  a  level  piece  of  ground  a  large 
Valley  of  grass  all  round  surrounded  by  mountains  of  Rocks 
all  shape  &  Formes  that  man  could  think  off  these  Independ- 
ent Rocks  are  just  the  same  as  built  from  the  surface  not  a 
tree  on  it  a  terrible  hard  kind  of  Rock  just  about  the  same 
as  ruff  cast 

Independence  Rock  on  Acct  of  its  peculiar  shape  &  magni- 


**  Emigrants  generally  left  the  Platte  after  crossing  Poison  Spider 
Creek,  and  followed  tributary  valleys  until  they  reached  the  Sweetwater 
near  Independence  Rock.  Their  journals  commonly  call  attention  to 
the  extensive  deposits  of  saleratus  which  covered  the  ground  in  this 
vicinity  and  poisoned  the  water.  T.  T.  Geer,  Fifty  Tears  in  Oregon 
(New  York,  1912),  p.  139;  Coke,  A  Ride  over  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
p.  167;  K.  E.  Blood  (ed.),  Memoirs  of  a  Forty-niner  (New  Haven, 
1907),  p.  15. 

*  Independence  Rock  is  almost  invariably  mentioned  as  a  place  where 
emigrants  registered  their  names  on  the  outcropping  rock.  It  re- 
sembles, in  the  words  of  Wyeth,  "a  bowl  upside  down"  and  had  already 
received  its  name  before  he  saw  it  in  1832.  It  is  some  eleven  miles 
above  the  mouth  of  the  Sweetwater  River,  on  its  left  bank.  G.  L.  Holt, 
New  Map  of  Wyoming,  1888;  J.  B.  Wyeth,  "Oregon"  in  Early  Western 
Travels,  xxi,  p.  53. 

[175] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

tude  if  nothing  else  is  quite  a  curiosity.  It  is  entirely  bare 
laying  upon  the  top  of  the  ground  in  an  open  plain,  near  S.  "W. 
[Sweetwater]  At  the  southeast  corner  &  the  north  side  it  may 
be  easily  ascended,  &  1000s  no  doubt,  have  been  upon  its  top  with- 
in the  last  year  or  2  Almost  this  entire  stone  is  covered  with 
dates  &  the  names  of  visitors  painted  thereon  with  red,  white 
black  etc.  About  lat  42°  30'  15"  [Situated  on]  North  side  of 
Sweet  Water  6  or  700  yds  long  from  120  to  150  yds  wide 
Hard  Granite  Sweet  Water  forms  its  way  through  the  Dev- 
ils Gate  400  ft  high  the  best  view  is  from  the  east  end  of  it 
into  which  you  can  go  some  distance26 

a  little  way  above  we  crossed  the  Sweet  Water  by  Ford27,  raised 
the  Waggon  Boxes  about  1  Foot  &  got  through  safe  there  was 
about  10  logs  made  into  a  Crib  a  man  lived  there  &  had  a  tent  & 
kept  Groceries,  charged  $1  pr  Waggon  100s  of  Horses,  Cattle, 
&  Mules  were  here  &  a  little  ahead  af  [t]er  leaving  the  Ford  we 
went  along  above  the  River,  tremendous  mountains  of  Rocks 
all  round  the  next  we  passed  was  the  Devils  Gate  where  the 
Sweet  Water  runs  through  a  small  gap,  a  tremendous  height 
the  Rocks  seem  to  be  perpendicular  at  the  head  of  the  D  G. 
to  the  right  is  a  handsome  valley  of  grass  through  which  the 
Sweet  water  runs  but  instead  of  going  to  the  right  on  ace*,  of 
Teams  as  far  as  your  eye  could  carry  you  on  this  vast  plain 
we  turned  to  the  left  up  a  creek  that  runs  into  the  Sweet 
Water  close  by  the  D.  G.  about  2m.  &  found  good  grass  & 
plenty  Buff  dung  &  Sage  for  fire  camp'd  6  Oclock 

left  at  4  Oclk  on  Thursday  morning  17th.  went  up  round  a 
bend  on  the  flat  by  the  Sweet  Water,  about  4m.  from  the  D. 
Gate  high  Rocks  all  along  on  the  one  side  covered  with  small 
Cedars  stuck  in  the  crevices  good  Buffaloe  grass  valley  about 
2m.  wide  left  here  8  Oclock  crossed  some  small  Creeks,  past 
one  grave  left  the  Sweet  10  OClock  to  the  right  hand  &  Al- 
kali to  the  left  a  few  rods  Sa'leratus  here  all  over  to  the  left 
of  us  Snow  lyes  on  the  Mountains  not  far  distant  turned 
of[f]  the  Road  to  the  right  down  to  the  River  no  grass  any 


28  This  paragraph  on  Independence  Rock  was  written  on  a  blank  page 
of  the  note-book,  and  is  inserted  at  this  point  by  the  editor. 

"From  this  point  to  South  Pass  the  trail  crossed  the  Sweetwater 
several  times,  and  there  were  numerous  optional  fords  and  routes. 

[176] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

place  else  but  Sage,  this  forenoon  road  pretty  heavy  sand  & 
gravel  nooned,  beside  a  mountain  of  rock  Granite  running 
from  D.  Gate  I  dont  know  how  far  forenoon  middling  these 
Rocks  on  these  mountains  are  laid  like  packs  of  Bags  of  oats 
all  shaped  forms  left  Afternoon  3  Oclock,  feeding  close  by 
Stoney  Bluff  swam  our  Horses  on  to  an  Island  afternoon 
passed  2  Graves  5  dead  Cattle  touched  the  River  twice 
crossed  some  runs  heavy  sand  mostly '  all  afternoon  left 
Vader  17th.  saw  4  Elk  snow  on  the  mountains  to  the  left. 

Friday  18th.  left  Sweet  W.  at  6  Oclock  in  the  morning  just 
after  starting  the  "Wind  ridge  mountains  made  there  appear- 
ance all  covered  with  Snow  About  2  Hours  travel  we  came 
to  the  Alkali  Swamp  we  saw  some  men  digging  for  Ice,  it  is 
said  that  Ice  can  be  found  2ft  under  ground,  saw  one  deer 
plenty  ground  Dogs.  Cattle  lying  dead  on  the  Road,  passed 
over  1000  head  of  Cattle,  the  road  the  most  of  the  way  very 
heavy  Sand  &  Gravel,  came  to  Sweet  Water  12  Oclk  18*4 
[miles?]  before  watering  our  Horses  grass  very  scarce  all 
sat  up  on  Ace*,  of  so  many  Teams,  ford  good  nooned  on  the 
Banks  of  the  River,  afternoon  2  OClock  left  &  crossed  some 
very  high  Bluffs  of  rock  &  a  pretty  high  Before  we  came  to 
the  S.  Water  a  handsome  &  wide  valley  over  1  mile  wide 
stopt  4  OClock,  &  good  grass,  passed  2  Graves  this  afternoon 
pretty  cold  last  night  on  Ace*,  of  the  mountains  of  Snow  to 
our  right. 

Sat*.  19th.  left  5  OClock  left  the  S.  W.  at  6  Oc  ascended 
the  Rocky  M.  pretty  high  &  Rocky  for  4m.  after  this  all  day 
good  rolling  land  &  good  travelling  passed  one  Waggon  left, 
1  grave  1  Dead  Ox,  walked,  Snow  60  yds  long  &  10  ft  deep 
Snow  lying  in  gulleys  on  every  side,  passed  at  the  end  of  4m 
3  Lakes  or  marshes  as  it  is  now  dry  some  springs  some  stream 
Strawbery  Creek  Aspen  Springs  Branch  of  S —  W —  Willow 
Creek  dry  noond.  2  Hours  poor  grass,  Wind  ridges  cov- 
ered by  snow  to  the  right  hand  of  us  afternoon  started  3 
OClock  crossed  Willow  Creek  &  turned  out  at  the  Sweet  Wa- 
ter about  one  milei  to  the  left  of  the  Ford  good  grass  about 
1/2  mile  when  the  handsomest  road  I  ever  saw  track  100  ft  wide 
or  upwards,  Snow  lying  along  the  banks  of  the  River  in  dif- 
ferent places  day  times  here  pretty  warm  a  good  breese  of 

[177] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

wind  all  the  time  very  cold  at  night  camp'd  4  Oclock  after- 
noon plenty  Willows  &  wild  Sage  for  wood 

Sunday  20th  left  Camp  10  Oclock  saw  one  Antelope  shot 
plenty  of  Crows  they  build  in  the  rocks  Barren  Country 
our  Horses  shew  their  ribs  pretty  plain  Keid  has  the  moun- 
tain Fever  pretty  warm  this  morning  snow  about  20  R  from 
us,  crossed  the  S —  Water  by  Ford  good  Fording  went  on  7 
miles  passed  between  2  Mounds  1/4  mile  from  the  Road  good 
grass  from  the  S — Water  to  the  South  Pass  from  where  we  left 
[this]  morning  it  is  a  Slightly  undulating  pladn  between 
mountains  several  miles  apart  the  ascent  over  the  pass  is  so 
gradual  as  to  be  almost  imperceptible  snow  covered  moun- 
tains can  be  seen  in  different  direction.  The  Wind  River 
Range  lies  off  to  the  right  passed  t[w]o  graves  forenoon  1 
Waggon  left  good  1  young  Antelope  fed  part  of  him  to  the 
Dog  a  great  many  handsome  groves  of  small  Pines  along 
these  mountains  The  height  of  the  Pass  is  7,000  ft  above  the 
Sea  Pacific  Springs  here  you  strike  the  1st  Water  of  the  Pa- 
cific Ocean  this  marsh  goes  along  the  road  about  l1/^  mile  on 
your  right  on  which  is  good  grass  Near  the  lower  end  some  40 
Rods  from  the  road  is  one  of  the  best  Springs  wild  sage  first 
rate  good  roads  to  day  114  [miles]  from  here  to  the  Pacific 
Creek;  this  is  a  small  stream  but  a  little  miry  there  is  more" 
grass  &  water  than  the  other  road  to  Salt  Lake  we  crossed 
the  Creek  below  the  Pacific  Springs  we  followed  down  the 
P  Creek  to  its  entrance  into  Green  River  passed  2  Graves  22 
Waggon  Tires  &  Irons  of  all  descriptions  as  good  as  new 
Waggons  burnt  up  campd  6  oClock  2  miles  down  the  P. 
Creek  the  scene  this  evening  was  equal  to  any  fare  in  Eng- 
land with  Waggons  Cattle  Horses  Mules  &  fires  of  wild  sage 
&  B — Dung,  good  breese  of  wind  to  day  this  road  turns  to 
the  left  after  crossing  the  P.  Creek  &  the  other  to  the  right. 

Monday  21st.  left  camp  5  ,OClock  &  turned  of[f]  on  to 
the  main  track  again  on  acct  of  seeing  nobody  going  that  way 
passed  Little  Sandy  Creek  dry  almost  a  good  spring  a  few 
Rod  up  the  Creek  came  on  to  the  Junction  [of]  the  road  10 
OClock  28  the  right  hand  leading  to  California  &  Oregon  the 


28  West  of  South  Pass  the  old  emigrant  road  crossed  Pacific  Creek, 
Dry  Sandy,  Little  Sandy,  and  Big  Sandy,  and  descended  the  right  bank 

[178] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

left  to  Salt  Lake  12  miles  on  this  S.  Lake  Road  &  then  turn 
to  the  right  you  will  miss  the  1st.  Desert  killed  one  sage  hen 
saw  1  drove  Antelope  passed  3  companies  from  California  at 
different  times  to  day  about  60  Pack  &  loose  Mules  left 
C — a  May  5th  one  met  his  brother  &  turned  back 
again  to  California  nooned  12  OClock.  roads  good  some 
grass  poor  went  on  afternoon  crossed  Little  Sandy  7% 
[miles]  to  Ford  from  Junction  we  campd  ajbout  one  mile 
from  the  Ford  pretty  good  grass  we  had  a  pretty  heavy 
rain  for  2  hours  &  very  cold  pretty  fine  this  evening  good 
road  this  afternoon 

left  camp  6  Oclock  A.  M.  from  the  left  hand  road  west  of 
the  Pass  to  Little  Sandy  7%  miles  to  Big  Sandy  again  17 
miles  stopped  &  fed  at  noon  on  upland  among  sage  some 
very  good  grass  amongst  it  pretty  middling  good  chance  for 
feed  all  day  passed  1  Dead  Ox  1  Log  Chain  16  feet  road  sandy 
not  very  heavy  some  gravel  &  small  loose  Rock  we  had  very 
heavy  rain  this  afternoon  &  a  cold  one  You  have  now  passed 
out  of  Oregon  Ty  into  Utah  Territory  formerly  Upper  Califor- 
nia at  Big  Sandy  again  17  miles  Camp'd  at  4  Oclock  after 
noon  on  a  bend  of  Big  Sandy  good  grass  pretty  fine  even- 
ing. 


of  the  last  named  to  the  Green  River;  thence,  following  Black's  and 
Ham's  forks,  it  reached  Fort  Bridger.  It  continued  from  Fort  Bridger 
by  way  of  the  Muddy  Fork  of  Ham's  Fork  and  finally  reached  the  Bear 
River  at  the  mouth  of  Sublette's  Creek.  Fremont  followed  this  route 
in  part  in  1843,  and  printed  a  detailed  map  of  Bear  River.  Report, 
132.  Turnbull  followed  this  road,  except  that  he  crossed  the  Green  at 
Kinney's  Ford,  and  went  west  by  Slate  Creek  to  the  -junction  of  the 
emigrant  road  and  Sublette's  Cut-off.  He  did  not  touch  Fort  Bridger. 
The  Sublette  Cut-off  branched  from  the  old  road  at  Little  Sandy,  went 
west  across  Big  Sandy  to  the  Green,  below  the  mouth  of  La  Barge 
Creek,  and  then  southwest  across  Fontenelle  and  Slate  creeks  to  the 
Muddy  Fork  of  Ham's  Fork,  where  it  rejoined  the  old  trail.  In  1857- 
58,  by  act  of  Congress  of  February  17,  1857,  a  new  wagon  road  from 
South  Pass  was  surveyed  by  F.  W.  Lander.  This  road  ran  north  of  the 
Sandy,  crossed  Green  River  at  the  New  Fork,  and  reached  Fort  Hall, 
on  the  Snake,  without  touching  the  Bear  River.  It  followed,  in  part, 
trails  of  the  upper  Green  Valley  long  known  to  trappers,  who  had  held 
their  annual  rendezvous  in  this  region  since  the  later  twenties.  The 
valuable  report  of  F.  W.  Lander,  with  a  large  map  of  this  region,  drawn 
by  W.  H.  Wagner,  is  in  35  Cong.,  2  sess.,  Sen.  Ex.  Docs.,  p.  36,  serial  984. 

[179] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

Tuesday   [2]2d    pretty  cold  last  night 

Wednesday  23d  left  Big  Sandy  7  Oclock  A.  M.  companies 
differing  packing  their  Horses,  leaving  Waggons  1  hour  from 
Camp  met  about  15  Pack  Mules  &  Ponies  &  men  from  Califor- 
nia carrying  Newspapers  for  sale  all  the  miners  names  & 
where  they  live  in  C[aliforni]a  50cts.  for  Paper  just  art 
the  junction  of  the  Salt  Lake  road  &  cut  off  road  to  miss  a  Des- 
ert 411/0  miles  no  grass  nor  water  only  6  miles  round  this 


road  good  grass  &  water  this  separation  where  the  S.  Lake 
road  turns  to  the  left  is  shorter  after  you  leave  the  last  camp- 
ing on  the  Big  Sandy  high  clay  banks  &  a  large  flat  just 
looks  as  it  had  been  an  old  Brick  yard  but  large  enough  for 
one  Dozen  crossed  a  very  steep  run  way  about  6  ft  deep 
width  of  one  wheel  took  the  Waggon  by  hand  &  hitched  the 
Horses  to  the  tongue  it  wants  a  spade  to  save  Waggons 
touched  Green  River  about  11  Oclk  went  within  one  mile  of 
the  Ferry  &  nooned  on  a  bottom  good  grass  to  day  all  along 
good  grass  among  the  Sage  road  a  little  heavy  forenoon 
gravel  &  sand,  Saw  one  Dead  Ox.  Cotton  wood  plenty  along 
the  Banks  of  Green  River,  one  thunder  shower  this  cut  oft 
on  the  main  C — a  road  is  called  175  miles  shorter  tham 
the  California  road  leading  from  the  S.  Pass  to  the  right 

[180] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

hand29'  af[t]er  about  2  Oclock  campd,  on  the  Banks  of  Green 
River  on  a  high  Bluff  &  handsome  valley  of  grass  a  great, 
width  [of]  River  in  high  water  overflows  acres  in  width 
some  Salaratus  on  the  bottom  upland  all  Sage  to  day  mixed 
with  bunches  of  wild  Rye,  good  feed  for  Horses,  about  6ft.  high 
about  2m  from  G.  River  Ferry  rested  our  Horses  until 

Thursday  24th.  2  Oclock  crossed  the  Ferry,30  Huntoon 
Wellen  Hepps  &  Reid  came  up  just  as  we  were  taken 
across  our  last  "Waggon  from  $5  to  $7  per  Waggon  50^* 
for  Cattle  &  Horses,  this  G.  River  is  100  yds  wide  & 
tremendous  swift  the  Swiftest  we  have  crossed  the  Cap- 
tain of  the  Ferry,  offered  me  $2  pr  day  &  Board  a  white 
man  from.  York  State  &  some  half  breeds  &  Indians  campd.  he 
lives  250  miles  from  here  at  Utah  Valley  on  California  road  $2 
for  3  months  carry  me  free  to  the  Valley  &  give  me  $4  pr  day 
&  board  as  long  as  I  am  wanted  to  Stay,  left  the  Ferry  & 
came  on  to  Slate  Creek  3  ft  wide  but  deep  10  mile  from 
Ferry  Sage  Wild  Rye  &  Blue  joint  some  pretty  high  pitches 
this  afternoon  but  short  camp  6  Oclock  among  grass  Bunch 
&  wild  Rye  sage  cold  last  night  to  watch  Horses,  some  few 
Indians  campd  at  little  way  from  us  good  Ponies 

Friday,  June  25th.  left  camp  6  Oclock  fine  morning  came 
through  a  pretty  flat  country  part  of  the  forenoon  very  dusty 
white  Clay  &  sand  other  part  of  it  pretty  hills  &  stony  on  acct 
of  it  not  being  much  travelled  passed  one  Creek,  came  down 
a  pretty  long  hill  mountains  of  Rock  down  a  Ravine  at  the 
bottom  of  the  Hill  came  to  a  handsome  Spring  boiling  out  be- 
low a  Rock  under  a  high  hill  surrounded  by  Willow  Bushes, 
ascended  a  pretty  long  hill  about  lm.  &  nooned  on  the  face  of 
it  turned  our  Horses  down  into  a  small  Creek,  some  good 
bunch  grass  &  wild  rye,  very  high  red  hills  here  just  as  if 
burnt  by  fire  snow  mountains  all  around  us  afternoon 
passed  a  good  many  of  the  Snake  Indians  camp  along  they 
have  lots  of  Ponies  all  colours,  flint  Guns,  Powder  &  lead, 
flashy  handkerchiefs,  Beeds,  such  as  they  give  Ponies — good 


"The  California  road  here  alluded  to,  was  later  improved  as  the 
Lander  road.  Cf.  Note  28. 

80  This  ferry  appears  to  have  been  a  few  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the 
Green,  near  its  intersection  with  the  42d  parallel. 

[181] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

Ponies,  Spirits,  I  was  offered  a  good  punchy  heavy  Ponies  for 
7  hickory  shirts  pretty  windy  to  day  dust  very  bad  about 
3  OClock  ascended  a  high  hill  about  1  hour  sort  of  shell  Rock 
&  fine  dust  mixed  about  ancle  deep  on  the  sides  of  these 
mountains  are  springs  all  over  &  good  ones,  on  the  top  of 
this  mountain  I  could  look  back  for  60  miles  &  ahead  for  10 
miles  to  mountains  of  Snow,  not  all  covered  but  very  large 
wreathes  but  before  we  came  to  where  the  two  roads  meet  the 
one  crossing  the  desert  411/2  miles,  &  the  other  from  the  Pass, 
by  Kains  cut  off,  Pack  road  made31  1832  we  went  up  a  terri- 
ble pitch  for  about  20  Rod  &  down  a  tremendous  steep  hill  for 
over  1/2  mile  slate  rock  all  mashed  up  among  fine  dust  ancle 
deep  crossed  a  small  stream  called  Alkali  Springs,  where  the 
two  roads  come  together  then  we  went  down  through  a  val- 
ley of  good  grass  &  spring  water  camp'd  on  the  top  of  a  Hill 
beside  poplar  Grove,  good  grass  &  plenty  spring  water 
camp  'd  6  oclk  about  %  mile  above  Mountain  Creek  to  the  left 
these  mountains  of  Snow  are  all  covered  with  pine  Timber, 

Saturday  26th.  after  leaving  camp  a  few  minutes  crossed 
a  good  many  small  streams  all  springs  from  the  Mountains' 
then  came  to  Poplar  Ridge  after  about  2  Hours  travel  came 
to  two  Roads,  one  leading  to  the  right  &  one  straight  ahead 
coming  both  together  again  in  a  short  distance  straight  ahead 
misses  a  terrible  high  hill  we  followed  the  Poplar  ridge 
straight  ahead  a  good  road  &  plenty  of  grass  stopt  &  fed  10 
oclk  some  Alkali,  along  the  creeks  passed  one  Buggy  left  3 
Oxen  dead  one  man  wheeling  a  Wheel  Barrow,  at  11  Oclk 
came  alongside  of  Hams  Fork,  &  travelled  up  a  valley  along 
side  of  the  River,  bottoms  over  one  mile  wide  the  handsomest 
and  longest  grass  I  have  seen  on  the  road  enough  to  feed  1000s 
of  Cattle  &  Horses,  this  is  the  place  to  feed  up  your  teams  for 
1  week,  crossed  Hams  Fork  12  Oclock  &  campd  at  noon  on 
the  other  side  two  roads  within  a  few  Rod  of  each  other  one 
going  over  the  mountain  Peak  &  the  other  round  below  another 
hill  this  misses  a  good  many  hills  in  one  %  Days  travel  In- 
dians &  Ponies  camp  here  at  noon  for  all  our  road  struck  the 


81  Cf.  Note  28.    The  Sublette  and  Oregon  roads  met  on  Crow  Creek,  a 
tributary  of  Muddy  Fork  of  Ham's  Fork. 

[182] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

Mountain  Peak,  about  the  Centre,  it  is  a  terrible  hill  after 
that  we  had  a  road  on  the  top  of  the  Mountains  for  a  long 
time  equal  to  a  turnpike  the  handsome  [st]  green  mountains 
I  ever  saw  covered  by  Pine  &  poplar  &  wreaths  of  Snow  her^ 
&  there  along  the  tops  &  Valleys  next  we  came  to  the  Poplar 
timber  Grove  8m.  from  Ford  Hams  Fork  next  Balsam  fir 
Grove  3 miles  a  tremendous  high  mountains  the  names  of 
1000s  marked  on  the  fir  Trees  here  trees  80  to  100  high  from  4 
ft  at  the  but  gradual  taper  to  the  top,  then  went  down  some 
frightful  mountains  from  1  to  11%™.  pretty  near  straight  about 
knee  deep  of  fine  dust  worked  so  by  dr egging  next  to  Marsh 
Springs  Creek  4m.  here  are  poison  Springs  of  water  up  on  the 
side  of  the  road  from  the  Creek  about  one  mile  after  that  we 
came  over  some  terrible  high  mountains  nearly  straight  2 
"Wheels  dregged  fast  enough  then  then  next  into  Bear  River 
valley  &  camp'd  all  night  grass  good  water  also,  passed  8 
Graves  from  1848  to  50.  3  dead  Oxen  plenty  of  grass  on 
these  mountains  all  day  musquetoes  bad  last  night  before  sun 
down 

Sunday  27th.  cold  last  night  left  camp  7  Oclock  passed  up 
&  down  some  small  Hills  roads  very  dusty  but  good  next  to 
Bear  River  Valley,  a  handsome  Valley  of  grass  lengthways  as 
far  as  your  eye  can  discern  &  crossways  about  3  miles  mixed 
with  blue  Joint  wild  rye  &  wild  oats,  about  6m.  long  next  to 
Bear  River  Valley  Creek  9^^s  turn  to  the  right  before  we 
crossed  the  Creek  at  the  foot  of  a  terrible  high  mountain  a  lit- 
tle ways  the  road  to  Fort  Bridger  goes  right  ahead  one  road 
turned  round  to  the  left  across  the  Creek  5  times  in  a  few  rod 
some  sydling  holes  about  up  to  the  "Waggon  box  now  it  is  very 
low  but  swift  dangerous  when  deep  high  it  can  be  avoided  by 
going  4  miles  further  round  road  to  left  before  you  come  here 
the  most  of  the  teams  come  this  way,  after  we  crossed  the 
Creek  for  about  %  mile  the  road  runs  between  the  Creek  &  a 
large  mountain  of  Rocks  a  tremendous  high  running  in  ridges 
so  far  apart  from  Bottom  to  top  Rocks  little  [like]  the  peaks 
of  a  torn  down  old  Castle  this  %  miles  of  a  road  is  horrid  up 
one  Rock  &  down  over  another  &  cramp 'd  for  width  on  Ace1, 
of  Rocks  falling  from  the  tops  of  the  mountain  Rocks  hang- 
ing right  over  above  us  enough  for  us  to  look  up,  passed  num- 

[1831 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

erous  springs  10  Graves  5  Dead  Cattle  Mr.  Neals  name  Wau- 
kegan  was  wrote  by  pencil  on  one  of  these  Grave  head  boards 
ahead  of  us  same  day  we  are  still  going  down  Bear  River 
about  one  mile  from  it  some  great  mountains  on  each  side 
forenoon  &  last  night  the  best  &  most  grass  I  have  seen  for 
some  time  enough  to  supply  1000s  of  stock  &  this  is  1000s  for 
it  nooned  &  fed  12  Oclock  afternoon  left  2  oclock,  passed 
2  dead  Oxen  came  along  a  handsome  valley  half  way  between 
the  River  &  the  handsome  green  mountains  on  each  side  a  val- 
ley of  grass  enough  to  support  1000s  of  Stock  we  camped  on 
the  top  of  a  hill  about  %  mue  from  the  River  it  runs  very 
rapid  here  Musquetoes  this  evening  4  Oclk  is  terrible  bad 
this  is  about  the  3d.  we  have  suffered  by  them  since  we  left  Chi- 
cago roads  to  day  excellent  nights  too  cold  for  Me. 

Monday  28th.  came  along  the  Valley  of  Bear  River  i 
should  think  in  some  places  about  10ms  wide  excellent  grass 
next  to  Thomas8  Fork 32  some  has  to  make  raft  and  take  their 
waggons  over  they  have  to  go  up  in  the  mountains  7  or  8m' 
to  get  Timber,  but  it  happened  to  be  very  low,  we  lifted  our 
Boxes1  up  on  the  front  with  ropes  &  put  the  feed  trough  on 
the  top  of  the  hind  Ox  this  was  high  enough  to  keep  all  dry 
about  2  Rod  wide  it  is  very  dangerous  in  high  water  the 
Indians  here  have  Ponies  here  to  trade  with  the  whites  for 
poor  large  Horses,  the  best  ponies  I 'ever  saw  about  the  size  of 
Yours  all  colours,  followed  a  valley  about  2  miles  8  oclock 
next  commenced  climbing  mountains  up  &  down  all  forenoon 
from  y2  mile  to  3m  up  &  down  ascending  &  descending  ter- 
rible to  look  at  it  from  top  or  Bottom  nooned  at  the  Bottom 
of  the  last  hill  12  Oclock  *  turned  our  Horses  out  among  grass 
wild  oats  &  Rye  &  grass  mixed  passed  5  Graves  4  Dead  Cat- 
tle, Musquetoes  very  bad  some  wind  afternoon  came  along 
the  B.  River  7m  camp'd  3  miles  from  the  Bear  about  %m  frora 
the  mountains  on  the  Banks  of  Tallies  Creek  it  came  down 
raging  through  these  high  mountains  ford  good  about  1  foot 
deep  1  Rod  wide  grass  no  bounds  to  it,  wind  pretty  strong 
good  road,  this  afternoon 


38  This  part  of  the  trail  is  shown  in  detail  on  the  Montpelier  quad- 
rangle of  the  Topog.  Map  of  the  U.  S. 

[184] 


TurnbuH's  Travels 

Tuesday  29th.  cool  last  night  left  5  Oclock,  passed  4  Springs 
water  Creeks,  one  Willow  &  one  Ashes  or  Ashlies,  plenty  of 
grass  passed  one  dead  Ox.  Musketoes  enough  roads  very 
good  cool  days  &  cold  nights  before  12  Oclock  passed  6 
runs  of  Mountain  streams  more  ascended  some  small  hills  & 
descended  amongst  them  good  grass  afternoon  left  at  2 
Oclock  some  of  1st.  Grey  Plies  on  the  Horses  pretty  rolling 
road  this  afternoon  crossed  Muddy  Creek,  crossed  the  Wil- 
low Spring  campd  below  some  Soda  springs33  the  springs  are 
at  the  North  side  of  a  beautiful  grove  of  Cedar  the  water  is 
good  to  drink,  snow  on  the  tops  of  the  mountains  pretty  cold 
nights 

Wednesday  30th.  left  Soda  Springs  6  Oclk  morning  about 
y2  mile  from  a  Snake  Village  all  built  with  wigwams  covered 
by  Buffaloe  skins  one  Log  House  a  Northwest  trader  or  trad- 
ers French  &  Americans,  every  thing  mostly  for  sale  Ponies 
in  100s  all  colours  &  kinds  pretty  near  as  good  as  the  Montreal 
Ponies  Blacksmiths  shop,  Indians  here  to  shew  [shoe]  their 
Hunters  here,  it  is  a  handsome  place  snow  on  the  mountains 
all  round  here,  Bear  Spring  right  under  the  Bank  1  mile  from 
where  we  camp'd  but  [better]  than  any  Soda  Water  you  drink 
the  spring  is  on  the  Bend  of  the  River  where  it  leaves  you  i& 
then  we  came  to  it  pretty  near  a  bend  &  watered  &  then  drove 
16  miles  from  Bear  River  Spring  or  Soda  Springs,  4milea  to 
Sublet  cut  off  one  road  turns.,  to  the  right  to  Oregon  & 
straight  ahead  for  California,  good  grass  the  whole  16  mlles 
the  guide  says  little  or  no  grass  small  pitches  but  steep  one 
very  long  up  &  down  until  we  come  to  Water  Creek  called 
mountain  Willow  Creek  good  road  only  some  places  a  few 
Stones  passed  3  dead  Cattle  1  Grave  nooned  at  M.  W.  Creek 
&  fed  very  cold  water  &  scores  of  teams  resting  not  very 
hot  windy  dust  bad  afternoon  we  just  now  commenced  to 
ascend  a  very  long  &  high  hill  but  somewhat  gradual  until  the 
top  now  straight  down  hills  through  ravines  or  gulleys  fright- 


83  The  group  of  Soda  Springs  at  the  great  bend  of  the  Bear  River  was 
a  well-known  landmark.  A  few  miles  beyond,  the  Oregon  Trail 
branched  to  the  north,  crossed  the  ridge  and  descended  the  Portneuf 
River  to  Fort  Hall.  Turnbull  continued  on  the  California  road,  some- 
times known  as  Hedspeth's  road. 

[185] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

ful  to  look  at  on  Ace*,  of  sidling  places,  Rocks,  &  deep  holes 
guttered  out  by  wheels  &  run  ways  from  springs,  crossed  a 
stream  half  breed  selling  whiskey  &  trading  passed  2  dead 
Oxen,  camp  'd  about  7  oclock  about  lm.  from  next  stream  be- 
fore mentioned  good  grass  &  plenty  of  it  all  afternoon  7 
miles  since  morning  ourselves  &  Horses,  holding  to  Waggon 
all  afternoon  down  hill 

July  1st.  last  night  pretty  cool  left  6  oclock,  pretty 
windy  &  cool  good  road  some  hills  enough  to  make  it  good 
&  fast  travelling  to  Valley  Marsh  Creek,  9  miles  good  water 
&  plenty  of  grass  wild  oats,  &  rye,  all  along  stopt  1  Hour  & 
fed  at  the  above  mentioned  Creek  all  along  the  same  as  far 
as  we  have  come  good  grass  since  10  Oclock  we  have  as- 
cended a  long  hill  pretty  gradual  only  some  places  pretty 
steep,  the  descent  about  the  same  stopt  about  half  way  down 
by  a  Spring  good  water  surrounded  by  willow  bushes,  grass 
middling  but  enough  the  Cedars  on.  these  Mountains  are  just 
like  an  old  Apple  Orchard  that  had  been  planted  stopt  &  fed 
at  Spring  1  oclk  Sy2m.  up  &  down  hill  since  9  oclock  (1  Grave 
here,  1849.)  afternoon  left  2  Oclock,  crossed  2  Creeks  not 
far  apart,  one  from  Spring  one  running  into  the  other  from 
some  other  course  road  very  good  not  to[o]  hilly,  right 
amongst  Mountains  the  best  grass  I  mostly  ever  saw  find 
[fine]  Blue  joint  &  met  over  20  Packers  the  fattest  &  best 
mules  I  mostly  ever  saw  passed  2  Graves,  crossed  the  Wil- 
low Muddy  Creek  Water  not  very  good  25  miles  today 
camp'd  on  the  side  of  Willow  Creek,  good  grass 

Friday  2d.  heavy  dew  last  night  &  pretty  cold  left  5  Oclk, 
&  went  8m.  to  gravel  Creek,  the  best  feed  I  mostly  ever  saw 
between  camp  &  Creek  good  Road  poor  grass  all  around 
met  about  20  Packers  60  or  80  Mules  from  California]  agoing 
to  the  states  one  dead  Ox,  fed  1  Hour  at  G.  Creek  between 
camp  &  here  wild  Tares  in  places  3  ft  high  left  the  Creek 
at  10  Oclock  &  entered  a  ravine  &  gradually  rising  some 
pretty  heavy  pitches  to  the  summit  of  a  mountain  7  miles,  we 
went  down  a  ravine  deep  &  difficult  to  the  Valley  2  miles  it 
took  us  from  10  until  2  Oclock  no  water  but  plenty  wood  & 
grass,  saw  Kings,  Derkins,  Coles,  names  wrote  in  this  ravine 
passed  17th.  June  we  July  2d.  passed  one  dead  Ox.  dust 

[186] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

enough,  to  choke  you  stopt  until  4  Oclock  14%  miles  until  we 
got  water  9  Oclock  at  night  31%  [miles]  from  water  to 
water  at  night  at  the  summit  of  the  mountains  they  said 
there  was  a  spring  27  miles  from  G.  Creek  to  water  but  we 
did  not  see  it  &  100s  for  by  [besides]  we  good  road  all  after- 
noon gradual  ascending  &  descending  until  we  came  to  some 
springs  about  one  mile  from  small  Stream  plenty  grass  all 
day  the  best 

Saturday  3d.  pretty  warm  last  night  left  camp  8  Oclock, 
crossed  small  stream  7  miles  to  [the]  1st.  Springs  all  through 
here  until  noon  one  from  the  7  miles  2l/2  miles  next  *4  m^6 
stopt  at  the  %  &  fed  good  roads  this  forenoon  up  ravines  & 
small  pitches  great  mountains  on  each  side  scattering  pine 
wherever  you  find  these  Springs,  &  good  grass  passed  one 
waggon  left  one  grave  1850.  3  dead  Ox  stopt  here  3  hours 
afternoon  left  3  Oclock  came  down  a  river  a  little  rolling 
over  hills  all  afternoon  the  handsomest  roads  I  ever  saw  & 
groves  of  poplar  &  Pine  mixed  every  few  Rods  chains  bolts 
of  every  Boxes  wheels,  burnt  &  unburnt  the  Spring  we  stopt 
at  noon  is  a  spring  the  head  water  of  Raft  River  then  we 
went  down  the  Ravine,  above  mentioned  next  came  to  Spring 
about  2  miles  the  largest  I  ever  sawr  for  some  time,  next  came 
to  Muddy  Creek  5%  miles,  this  was  called  bad  to  cross  & 
empties  into  the  branch  of  Raft  River  we  found  good  bot- 
tom all  gravel  below  above  2  ft  deep  on  the  edge  going  in  & 
about  6  ft  wide  if  we  had  kept  down  to  the  left  we  could! 
have  crossed  it  &  not  wet  the  spokes  half  plenty  of  grass  all 
along  all  day  &  wild  oats  ripe  &  tares  mixed  camp'd  by  a 
Waggon  about  the  strongest  &  best  I  mostly  ever  saw  left 
plenty  of  wood  here  all  along  &  sage  we  burnt  the  Box  for 
fire  wood  &  somebody  else  will  burn  the  Wheels  &c  Wag- 
gon are  burnt  all  along  Log  chains  all  along  here  to  day. 

[July  4]  Stopt  Sunday  until  5  Oclock  afternoon  started 
and  went  down  to  where  we  cross  the  Creek  east  branch  R. 
River  camp'd  all  night  wild  oats,  tares  &  grass,  plenty, 
passed  one  grave  one  dead  Ox 

[July]  5th.  Sunday  night  very  cold  left  Monday  6  oclock 
near  this  valley  it  is  surrounded  with  lofty  mountains  covered 
with  Snow  it  is  about  25  miles  to  the  west  side  great  quan- 

[187] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

titles  of  wild  Sage,  clay  soil  &  very  dusty  a  little  down  Mil 
11%  miles  to  Raft  River,  9  Oclock  11%  miles  The  River  ap- 
pears to  be  divided  forming  an  Island  which  is  muddy  & 
Marshy  to  the  west  side  of  it.  To  the  River  again  2*4  Miles 
passed  3  dead  Oxen  one  Fox  eating  at  one,  plenty  grass  here 
afternoon  to  the  west  Branch  of  Raft  River  2  miles  no  diffi- 
culty about  crossing  after  crossing,  plenty  wood  &  grass 
here  you  strike  the  road  leading  from  Fort  Hall  to  Salt  Lake 
city  which  is  180  miles  long  we  followed  up  the  Branch  to 
the  Ford  8%  miles  good  gravel  fording  plenty  of  wrood  & 
grass  passed  one  Grave  3  dead  Oxen  spoke  to  Henderson  to 
day  that  used  to  live  at  Gifford  Ferry  G.  River  Canada  where 
Jones  &  me  stopt  when  when  taken  out  logs  for  Grand  Island 
camp'd  6  Oclock  at  the  foot  of  snow  mountains  perhaps  7  miles 
from  it. 

Tuesday  6th.  left  camp  %  past  4  Oclock  in  the  morning,  some 
rain  very  cold  about  2  Hours  met  12  Packers  for  the  states 
40  Mules  plenty  grass  &  water  all  along,  grass  a  great  height 
after  leaving  camp  ascended  a  dividing  ridge  between  the 
water  of  Raft  River,  &  those  of  Goose  Creek  passed  2  Streams 
before  Valley  stream  3  dead  Oxen,  stopt  &  fed  8  Oclock, 
pretty  cold,  terrible  mountains  on  each  side  raind  pretty 
near  2  Oclock  crossed  Valley  Stream  Another  small  stream 
Another  large  stream,  we  now  commence  rising  the  moun- 
tains again  (not  very  steep)  through  a  pass  leaving  to  the  left 
over  a  small  ridge  to  a  mountain  stream  a  good  ford  all 
gravel  grass  &  plenty  of  pine  on  the  mountains  the  stream 
takes  its  rise  in  a  cluster  of  Rocks  monuments34  of  all  kinds  & 
extend  upwards  100s  of  feet  among  them  is  one  called 
Steeple  Rock  (it  looks  like  a  Steeple)  there  is  a  cluster  of  con- 
ical Rocks  (resembles  a  City)  we  now  have  crossed  a  num- 
ber of  ridges  to  day  &  streams  of  water  not  very  good,  after- 
noon camp  to  the  junction  of  Salt  Lake  road  not  far  beyond 
the  City  Rocks  passed  one  dead  Mule,  camp'd  by  A  small 


84  The  City  of  Rocks  was  the  western  end  of  Lander's  section  of.  the 
wagon  road  mentioned  in  note  28.  It  is  shown  on  Wagner's  map,  aa 
well  as  on  F.  A.  Bishop's  "Map  of  the  Western  Division  of  the  Fort 
Kearney,  South  Pass,  and  Honey  Lake  Road,"  in  35  Cong.,  2  sess.,  Sen* 
Ex.  Docs.,  p.  36,  serial  984. 

[188] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

stream  in  the  centre  of  a  valley  241/i  Miles  today  thunders 
&  looks  like  rain,  not  good  grass  water  good  pretty  cold 
some  snow  on  the  M  S — 

Wednesday  7tb.  passed  2  Small  streams  &  then  ascended 
Goose  Creek  range  of  mountains  which  are  the  highest  in  the 
region  though  not  very  high  above  the  surrounding  country 
whose  General  level  is  about  5,000  ft  above  the  Sea.  as  we 
ascended  the  Mountains  we  found  a  good  spring  near  the  road 
at  your  right,  passed  a  small  Creek  we  have  had  a  very 
hilly  road  for  several  miles  on  our  descent  to  Goose  Creek, 
we  have  descended  a  very  steep  hill  but  safe  with  care  passed 
another  small  stream  this  stream  is  a  tributary  of  Goose 
Creek  nooned  good  grass  &  water  met  Dobson  in  Chicago 
&  French  Boys  Gross  Point  at  the  junction  of  Salt  Lake  road 
they  went  by  S.  Lake  called  80  miles  round  pretty  cold  this 
forenoon  mountains  handsomely  covered  with  Cedars,  Af- 
ternoon As  you  enter  Goose  Creek  Valley,  you  will  be  de- 
lighted with  its  beauty  it  several  tables  Bluffs  mountain  high 
with  their  smooth  level  tops,  breaking  off  square  at  their 
edges,  then  gradually  &  smoothly  sloping  down  to  the  level  of 
the  Valley,  you  do  not  cross  Gtoose  Creek  but  follows  on  the 
east  side  crossed  a  small  Creek  &  then  passed  over  a  small 
ridge  to  the  River  again  in  all  to  day  24  Miles,  camp'd 
about  one  mile  up  the  River  plenty  of  grass,  pretty  Barren 
country  all  sage  to  left  passed  1  Graves  2  dead  Oxen 
pretty  cold  all  day  &  also  last  night 

Thursday  8th.  morning  left  6  Oclock  pretty  warm  after  sun- 
rise passed  over  two  pretty  bad  Creeks  one  rod  wide  pretty 
deep  going  in  &  Muddy  stopt  and  fed  on  the  Goose  Creek' 
Valley  9  Oclock  some  alkali  on  Goose  Creek  Valley  we 
crossed  another  Stream  a  little  miry  but  not  over  1  Rod  wide 
Goose  Creek  forked  about  2  miles  back  the  N.  Fork  bears  west 
among  the  mountains  up  this  Fork  6  miles  gold  has  been 
found35  leaving  the  head  of  the  Valley  you  follow  up  the 


36  The  alleged  discovery  of  gold  on  Goose  Creek  is  mentioned  by  sev- 
eral emigrants.  A.  Delano,  Life  on  the  Plains  and  Among  the  Diggings 
(New  York,  1857),  p.  152;  W.  Kelly,  Across  the  Rocky  Mountains,  from 
New  York  to  California  (London,  1852),  p.  182. 

[189] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

South,  fork  through  a  Cut  in  the  mountains  very  Rocky 
hard  heads  laying  as  thick  as  hair  on  a  dogs  back  in  places, 
next  to  the  Ford,  we  first  crossed  from  the  south  to  the  N. 
side  of  the  stream  &  after  going  up  some  distance  crossed 
over  back  again  to  the  South  side  &  left  it.  Both  crossings 
are  a  little  miry  after  leaving  the  stream  we  ascended  &  de- 
scended a  long  hill  which  is  almost  entirely  covered  with 
small  stones  up  &  down  the  road  crooked  no  water  &  no 
grass  for  16  miles  4  miles  below  spring  good  grass  no  water 
much,  Creek  pretty  near  dry  on  entering  this  valley  a  little 
at  the  right  under  a  ledge  of  Rock  is  a  spring  of  good  water 
though  a  little  warm  when  first  taken  we  passed  this  spring 
&  went  down  the  Valley  4  miles  &  found  good  grass  &  plenty 
spring  12  miles  from  grass  on  Goose  Creek  up  on  the  side  of 
the  mountains  I  found  plenty  good  wild  Rye  &c  but  every 
[one]  stopt  in  the  valley,  passed  3  Graves  &  passed  one  man 
that  lived  in  a  rock  for  7  days  having  the  Diarrhoer,  all  alone 
lie  is  getting  better  pretty  Barren  all  along  yesterday  over 
Creeks  &  Springs 

Friday  9th.  camp'd  last  night  9  oclock  left  7  Oclock  [this 
morning]  &  followed  still  down  the  Valley  found  the  Creek 
from  Rock  Spring  dry  but  some  one  dug  a  hole  in  the  centre  of 
it  3  ft.  &  plenty  of  good  Rye  in  the  sides  of  it  &  large  patches 
of  wild  wheat  about  4  ft  long  &  Rye  3  ft  all  in  milk  yet  better 
than  mountain  Rye,  we  turned  to  the  right  over  a  small  ridge 
to  Hot  Spring  Valley  2%  miles  about  5  miles  from  Rock  Spring 
before  you  come  to  grass  good  &  plenty  of  it  wheat  &c  mixed 
down  the  centre  of  the  Creek  &  look  for  a  well  or  wells  Al- 
kali all  through  this  Valley  &  along  the  mountains,  large 
patches  of  wheat  &  grass  once  in  a  while  between  these  bar- 
ren covered  with  Sage  passed  2  graves  stopt  and  fed  at  a 
bend  of  these  rocks  where  it  leaves  it  for  some  time  after- 
noon left  at  5  Oclk  passed  2  dead  Horses  saw  one  Antelope 
camp  6  Oclk  a  Valley  about  2  mile  all  along  afternoon  travel 
about  2  miles  from  a  spring  of  good  water,  but  used  water  out 
of  its  run  21  miles  to  day  all  along  this  Valley  plenty  Al- 
kali still  along  here  on  the  mountains  &  on  the  Valley 

Saturday  10th.    left  this  morning  6  Oclock    passed  the  Boil- 
ing Springs  boiling  like  hot  water  on  the   fire   full  of  Alkali 

[190] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

passed  2  graves  2  dead  Oxen  passed  a  good  spring  14  miles 
these  are  called  Thousand  Spring  Valley  on  Ace1  of  numerous 
springs  one  mile  from  Hot  Spring  Valley  the  steam  from 
them  can  be  seen  several  miles,  have  appearance  of  smoke, 
have  a  temperature  of  180  degrees  They  are  numerous  & 
form  quite  a  Stream  after  leaving  them  for  3  miles  you  con- 
tinue up  the  head  of  the  Valley  next  to  a  spring  of  good  water 
7  miles  this  spring  is  situated  a  little  distance  from  the  Val- 
ley up  a  ravine,  stopt  &  fed  10  Oclock,  passed  one  grave  2 
dead  Oxen,  passed  Californians  46  Mules  &  some  Horses, 
bound  for  the  States  not  far  from  the  Valley  where  we 
camped  for  the  night  this  7  miles  spring  above  mentioned 
near  the  Spring  the  road  forks,  the  right  hand  turns  up  the 
hill  out  of  the  ravine  &  does  not  come  to  it  again  for  30  miles 
the  left  hand  road  passes  up  the  ravine  or  depression  between 
the  mountains  grand  Valley  ascending  for  2  miles  as  you 
ascend  you  will  find  several  Springs  on  your  left  you  pass 
over  the  dividing  ridge  A  Small  stream  6  miles  still  further 
on  in  a  small  Valley  are  a  number  of  Springs  of  good 
water  6  miles  you  then  pass  over  hills,  to  another  Valley  8 
miles  30  Miles  today  Camp'd  opposite  the  Humboldt  Moun- 
tain covered  with  snow  on  our  left  good  water  &  Grass 

Sunday  11th.  stopt  all  day  good  grass  wild  Rye  &  good 
water  1  Grave  opposite  some  dead  cattle  lying  on  the  Val- 
ley some  thunder  showers  today,  we  heard  of  Lacy  and 
Fuller  some  ways  behind  us  by  coming  up  to  a  company  from 
Chicago  pretty  cold  night. 

Monday  12th  about  %  hour  from  where  we  camp'd  all 
night  the  best  grass  I  mostly  have  seen  on  the  road  wild 
wheat  6  ft  high  and  wild  clover  in  abundance  no  bounds  to 
feed  all  along  the  North  side  of  the  mountains  some  pretty 
hot  fed  at  10  Oclock  passed  1  dead  horse — down  the  Val- 
ley to  Marys  River36  a  creek  along  side  mostly  all  forenoon 


"As  late  as  1844  explorers  were  still  hunting  for  a  "reputed"  Buena- 
ventura River  that,  rising  in  the  great  Nevada  Basin,  pierced  the  Sierra 
and  gave  a  route  to  San  Francisco  Bay.  Fremont's  exploration  of  1844 
proved  the  non-existence  of  this  river,  and  on  his  trip  of  1845  he  gave 
the  name  Humboldt  to  the  river  that  guided  most  ot  the  emigrants 
from  the  Salt  Lake  Basin  to  the  foot  of  the  Sierra.  This  river  had 

[191] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

good  water  there  best  feed  I  ever  saw  nooned  at  the  ford 
good  ford  gravel  bottom  16  miles  forenoon.  Afternoon  the 
Valley  about  the  head  of  Marys  River  is  a  most  beautiful  Val- 
ley you  will  see  you  can  see  the  Humboldt  mountains  not 
far  distant  on  your  left  covered  with  everlasting  Snows  while 
you  are  on  the  Valley  below  melting  under  the  scorching  rays 
of  the  sun  during  the  longest  days  of  summer  you  cross 
Marys  River  &  continue  down  the  North  side  of  it  to  the  North 


HUMBOLBT  KlVEK 
TO    SACRAME.KTO 


CALIFORNIA 


branch  of  Marys  River  21  Miles  we  passed  one  dead  horse 
one  Grave  June  1852  piles  of  Log  chain  scattered  different 
places  along  the  road  all  day  the  remains  of  "Waggons  of  all 
description  camp'd  at  5  Oclock  about  1/2  wav  on  tne  21m- 
amongst  the  best  grass  of  every  kind  I  ever  saw  in  the  United 
States  some  flies  this  afternoon  as  for  width  &  length  [of 


been  visited  by  Jedediah  Smith  and  others  since  1827,  and  had  re- 
ceived the  names  Ogden  and  Mary,  in  honor  of  the  fur-trader  Peter 
Skeene  Ogden,  and  Mary,  his  wife.  Thwaites,  Early  Western  Travels, 
xxviii,  note  113;  Fremont,  Report,  p.  196;  J.  C.  Fremont,  Memoirs 
(Chicago,  1887),  i,  p.  434. 

[1921 


TurnbulFs  Travels 

grassland?]  I  cant  say  dust  flying  to  day  so  as  we  could  not 
see  our  Horses  some  of  the  time  some  alkali  all  along  the 
River  good 

Tuesday  13th.  pretty  cold  last  night  some  Musquetoes 
passed  2  Graves  one  1852  &  1849  fed  about  3  miles  from  the 
North  branch  of  Mary  Kiver  21  miles  from  the  commence- 
ment of  Marys  River  crossed  the  north  Branch  on  the  east 
side  of  this  branch  are  large  quantities  of  Alkali  &  some 
Salaratus — the  ground  as  white  as  snow  the  crossing  is  good 
we  continued  down  the  Valley  occassionally  passing  over  con- 
siderable hills  you  pass  a  collection  of  Hot  Springs  &  an  In- 
dian ford  ahead  The  Springs  are  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
River,  afternoon  touched  the  River  3  times  passed  2  Gangs 
of  Packers  small  companies  3  in  one  &  some  6  in  the  other 
bound  for  the  States  passed  one  grave  one  dead  Horse  we 
are  amongst  the  Root  diggers  all  along  the  Humboldt,  camp  'd 
all  night  on  the  Valley  saw  one  Root  digger  to  day  fishing 
in  Marys  River  one  dead  Mule  left  all  the  Snow  on  the 
mountains  this  evening  behind  us  mountains  some  smaller 
close  by  the  River  all  day  but  high  backwoods  some  Mus- 
quetoes to  night  grass  not  to  be  exceeded  pretty  warm  from 
10  Oclock  until  2  P.  M. 

Wednesday  14th.  not  so  cold  last  night  as  usual  left  camp 
%  past  4  oclock  tracking  [trekking?]  still  on  the  Valley 
good  road  only  rather  dusty  not  very  hot  somewhat  windy 
touched  the  River  3  times  since  morning  good  grass  all  along 
&  plenty  for  all  fed  at  8  Oclock  some  Ducks  here  Swallows 
some  singing  birds  2  Cranes  I  saw  ox  teams  here  &  ahead  of 
us  in  flocks  surprising  how  Cattle  stand  it  some  that  we 
have  passed  &  repassed  started  again  at  9  Oclock  came  to 
the  end  of  Marys  Valley  about  11  Oclock  A  little  before 
reaching  the  end  of  the  Valley  the  south  branch37  of  Marys 


8TJ.  H.  Holeman,  Indian  agent  at  Salt  Lake  City,  left  that  place 
May  12,  1852,  and  visited  the  tribes  along  the  trail  to  Carson  Valley. 
He  traveled  with  various  trains,  and  found  that  all  the  Indian  tribes, 
Digger,  Shoshone,  and  Piute,  professed  friendship.  Returning  up  the 
Humboldt  he  met  "upon  an  average,  about  three  hundred  wagons  daily 
from  the  time  1  left  the  sink  of  the  Humboldt  until  I  reached  the  Goose 
Creek  mountains— a  distance  of  upwards  of  four  hundred  miles."  He 

[193] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

River  comes  down  from  the  base  of  the  Humboldt  mountains 
enter [s]  the  River  from  an  easterly  direction  At  the  end  of 
the  Valley  the  road  forks,  one  branch  leading  up  over  the 
mountain  which  is  the  one  described  by  Pratt  &  Slater  &  the 
other  bearing  to  the  left  down  the  River  &  crossing  it  4  times 
in  less  than  10  miles  the  crossings  are  not  bad  in  low  water, 
but  difficult  in  high.  Between  the  first  &  second  crossings  a 
Road  from  Salt  Lake  comes  in  across  75  miles  of  a  desert 
we  took  the  one  down  &  a  good  many  more  down  the  River 
a  small  flat  in  places  along  the  River  from  4  to  5  Rods  wide 
middling  good  grass  in  places  tremendous  mountains  of 
Rocks  on  each  side  of  us  crossed  the  River  3  times  &  would 
have  wet  our  provisions  but  we  raised  the  Box  4  inches  and 
got  through  well  good  gravel  bottom  nooned  on  good  grass 
pretty  large  bend  of  the  River,  afternoon  that  makes  from 
the  North  branch  of  Marys  River  to  the  end  of  the  Valley  55 
miles  passed  a  small  stream  of  good  water  2y2  [miles]  you 
follow  down  this  River  to  the  ford  3  mile  you  now  cross  a 
number  of  ridge  &  Valleys  to  a  Spring  of  good  water  8%  To 
another  3  miles,  the  spring  is  80  Rod  to  your  left  you  now 
pass  over  the  Sumit  of  the  hill  or  ridge  to  a  spring  of  good 
water  1  mile,  passed  some  Springs  1  mile  but  we  took  the 
Road  that  leads  to  the  crossing  of  the  River  4  times  good 
Road  plenty  of  grass, 

[Thursday  15th.]  camp'd  all  night  over  the  bank  in  a  bot- 
tom close  by  the  River  good  grass  passed  one  dead  Horse 
&  2  dead  Oxen  people  along  this  days  journey  should  be 
very  careful  not  to  take  left  hand  foot  paths  it  will  often 
lead  you  6  miles  out  of  the  road  the  River  here  is  very 
crooked  it  turns  very  short  to  the  North.  To  Marys  River  17 
miles  This  17  miles  should  be  commenced  if  possible  in  the 
morning  at  the  end  of  this  distance  the  road  forks  again38 


recommended  the  establishment  of  military  posts  at  the  Mormon  Sta- 
tion in  Carson  Valley  and  on  the  Humboldt  "near  the  mouth  of  the 
south  fork,  some  twenty  miles  below  where  the  road  first  strikes  the 
river."  Annual  Rep.  Commr.  of  Indian  Aff.,  1852,  pp.  442,  443,  serial  658. 
88  Gravelly  Ford.  Here  Turnbull  left  the  usual  trail  and  crossed  to 
the  south  bank  of  the  Humboldt.  Near  this  place  Holeman  wished  to 
put  his  fort. 

[194] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

the  left  hand  road  crosses  the  River  &  passes  down  upon  the 
South  side  of  the  River  to  the  desert  at  the  end  of  the  Sink., 
The  right  hand  road  which  is  the  [one]  described  in  the  Guide 
it  goes  down  the  North  side  &  is  some  30  miles  further  but 
has  better  grass  &  avoids  crossing  the  stream  there  are  how- 
ever several  places  in  the  distance  where  travellers  sometimes 
ford  Marys  River  in  low  water  but  in  high  water  they  cant 
ford  it  passed  5  Springs  flowing  from  Gravel  &  Rock  this 
forenoon  on  this  17  miles  to  Marys  River  where  the  Guide 
says  no  water  pretty  road  &  hilly  all  the  way  nooned  after 
crossing  the  River  on  the  south  side  about  2  miles  good  grass 
staid  [till]  3  Oclock,  left  &  went  down  the  River  about  6  miles 
from  ford  £  camp'd  4  Oclock  good  grass  &  plenty  of  it  a 
large  Grey  Wolve  came  to  a  dead  Horse  about  50  Rod  from 
us  good  road  this  afternoon  but  terrible  dusty  about  i/2  ^e? 
deep  clay  soil  plenty  Buffaloe  dung  on  these  Valleys  by  the 
River  it  seems  rare  to  us  for  we  have  not  seen  none  for  some 
time 

Friday  16th.  left  camp  y2  past  4  Oclock  went  over  some 
small  Bluffs  peaks  towards  the  Valley  pretty  dusty  Clay 
saw  a  large  bed  of  Saleratus  to  the  left  passed  2  dead  Oxen 
plenty  of  "Waggon  Irons  turned  out  &  fed  good  grass  all 
along  this  morning  fed  at  8  oclock  one  horse  passed  dead 
1  Ox  still  down  the  Valley  road  some  rough  by  being  stoney 
the  road  in  places  keeps  to  the  left  of  the  River  some  1  or  IVi 
miles  we  followed  a  road  leading  to  the  River  &  missed  some 
very  rough  road  stoppd  at  1  OClock  &  fed  good  grass  all 
along  saw  one  very  large  grey  Wolfe  Musquetoes  plenty 
Buffaloe  dung  same  afternoon  passed  2  Graves  about  one 
hour  after  noon  the  Valley  began  to  w'iden  terrible  high 
mountains  on  each  side  Barren  towards  the  left  of  the  road  & 
a  scenery  of  grass  of  all  descriptions  wild  rye,  Blue  joint  Buf- 
faloe  grass,  parts  of  it  looks  handsome  &  green  being  burnt 
early  in  Spring  the  unburnt  seems  about  the  same  colour  as 
the  grass  of  111.  in  October  plenty  Buffaloe  here  by  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  dung  it  is  a  vast  place  there  are  camp  roads 
that  lead  to  the  River  from  the  main  road  we  took  the  Isti 
one  &  travelled  about  1%  hours  and  found  plenty  of  water 
for  our  horses  &  two  places  we  dug  down  to  water  &  got 

F1951 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

pretty  goad  water  for  our  use  this  is  1st  water  we  got  since 
3  Oclock  grass  out  of  all  bounds  camp'd  7  Oclock  some 
Musquetoes  nothing  to  be  seen  here  but  willow  bushes  crows 
&  some  birds  very  large  lizards  River  very  low  this  season 
some  seasons  they  cant  go  this  way  at  all  on  Ace1,  of  high 
water  it  overflows  a  great  part  of  this  Valley  then  they  have 
to  go  the  North  side  they  say  it  is  30  miles  round  but  if  so 
they  have  plenty  water  Sulphur  &c  not  so  good  for  grass 
they  say  &  part  of  the  road  very  rough  &  Stoney  this  after- 
noon was  about  the  best  ro'ad  I  ever  saw  as  level  as.  plank 
sandy  Clay  soil  good  in  dry  weather  bad  in  wet  we  had  a 
pretty  heavy  thunder  Shower  this  afternoon  wind  blowed 
hard  to  day  dust  not  so  bad  as  some  days  pretty  warm 

Saturday  17th.  about  3  hours  last  night  middling  warm  left 
at  7  Oclock  passed  one  Grave  called  J.  Blackley  from  IIIs 
1850  touched  the  river  once  since  morning  about  9  Oclock 
road  a  good  ways  from  River  turned  down  to  a  branch  about 
2  miles  from  Road  on  the  same  direction  good  road  rather 
dusty  water  rather  muddy  pretty  warm  y2  past  10  Oclock 
saw  some  sandhill  cranes,  very  large  lizards  plenty  Buffaloe 
dung  saw  here  one  drove  had  lay  here  shortly  perhaps  12 
hours  stopt  2  hours  afternoon  left  2  Oclock  passed  one 
gl*ave  1  dead  cow  one  Hare  passed  a  large  drove  of  Cattle 
had  to  turn  off  towards  River  this  afternoon  twice  but  not 
much  out  of  the  ways  Roads  turning  off  to  Camp  &  water 
all  along  Campd  6  Oclock  close  by  the  River  wind  blows 
pretty  fresh  Musquetoes  does  not  bite  it  is  something  new  to 
hear  of  it 

Sunday  18th.  terrible  cold  last  night  to  watch  Horses,  pretty 
miry  in  places  got  3  mired  had  to  help  them  out,  one  man 
lost  6  head  of  Cattle  &  2  Horses  every  man  must  watch  his 
stock  or  otherwise  loose  by  it  it  was  suppose  [d]  to  be  a  root 
digger  that  had  crawled  on  his  hands  &  feet  in  amongst  the 
Bushes  or  Willows  bushes  &  stole  these  I  have  never  seen 
none  but  they  say  they  are  very  cunning  we  are  about  150 
miles  from  the  Sink  of  the  Humbolt  to  day  at  12  oclock, 
passed  a  good  many  log  Chains  touched  a  branch  &  watered 
about  10  Oclock  Stopt  at  the  River  12  Oclock  some  Buffalo 
by  appe[ar]ance  of  dung  middling  good  grass  but  pretty 

[1961 


Turnbull's  Travels 

well  cropt  a  good  many  teams  ahead  Musquetoes  &  Flies 
plenty 

[Monday  19th.]  Stopt  until  Monday  morning  rested  close 
by  the  Marys  River  grass -very  good  &  a  great  many  camp'd 
we  washed  &  mended  up  all  our  clothes  &  Shirts  passed  one 
small  Lake  pretty  water  &  two  others  before  9  Oclock  some 
Ducks  here  &  Snipe  hares  &  Mountain  Sheep  plenty  Buf- 
faloe  by  appearance  of  the  dung  good  grass  cut  about  3  ton 
to  Acre.  Wolfes  plenty  saw  one  Jackson  from  Chicago 
[who]  went  by  Salt  Lake  &  traded  Horses  for  Cattle  fed  at 
the  foot  of  a  Hill  on  the  edge  of  the  Valley,  stopt  one  hour 
left  10  Oclock  then  ascended  a  small  hill  but  steep  &  Rocky 
the  same  for  some  ways  all  mixed'  with  dust  then  touched 
the  River  about  11  Oclock  then  ascended  some  high  moun- 
tains up  a  River  the  best  road  I  mostly  ever  saw  some  high 
pitches  ascending  &  descending  but  very  short  about  twice 
the  length  of  a  waggon  as  good  descending  good  grass  a 
large  bend  close  by  Marys  River  some  pieces  of  Snow  lying 
on  the  mountains  right  before  us  fed  here  at  %  past  12 
Oclock  300  head  of  Oxen  passed  us  this  forenoon  while  feed- 
ing loose  &  in  Waggons  not  very  hot  to  day  pretty  windy, 
Afternoon  left  two  Oclock  touched  the  River  3  times  to  water 
some  places  not  very  good  grass  other  places  excellent  and  a 
multitude  of  it  between  2  &  5  Oclock  road  first  rate  but 
rather  dusty  afternoon  travel  all  along  side  of  the  Valley 
North  road  came  in  sight  of  us  at  12  Oclock  on  the  other  side 
of  the  River  Saw  3  Waggons  &  one  drove  of  Cattle  when  we 
camp  %  past  5  good  grass  &  -  plenty  Musquetoes  about  20 
Rod  from  River  the  Peaks  of  the  mountains  looks  handsome 
here  all  covered  by  green  Sage 

Tuesday  20th.  pretty  cold  last  night  touched  the  River 
twice  since  the  morning  passed  some  very  good  grass  a  lit- 
tle part  of  the  road  rough  if  the  Season  is  dry  from  where 
we  started  to  day  to  keep  near  the  River  is  smooth  &  good 
among  the  Sage  the  sand  is  deeper  but  not  deep  enough  to 
make  it  bad  stopt  &  fed  at  12  Oclock,  good  grass  &  plenty 
of  it  but  rather  dry  pretty  middling  warm  but  a  good  wind 
as  we  have  had  generally  all  the  time  since  we  left  it  after- 
noon left  2  oclock  touched  the  River  very  good  Road  along 

[197] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

the  bottom  &  plenty  of  grass  then  we  had  to  leave  the  bot- 
tom &  had  to  go  up  a  sand  Bluff  pretty  heavy  sand  about 
20  Rod  and  then  along  the  top  of  the  Bluff  pretty  heavy 
sand  for  about  %  mile,  down  the  Bluff  on  to  the  bottom  good 
road  passed  one  dead  Ox  dust  very  bad  camp'd  on  a  large 
piece  of  good  grass  but  getting  very  dry  %  past  5  Oclock 
some  Sage  hens  seen  to  night  some  Hares  pretty  near  white 
mountain  sheep  seems  to  be  very  plenty  on  Ace1,  of  seeing  the 
tracks  over  the  mountains  very  numerous  a  drove  of  500 
head  of  cattle  is  just  in  sight  of  us,  the  same  man  has  1500 
head  on  the  road  a  great  many  other  droves  for  by  [besides] 
these  pretty  cold  night  the  North  road  on  the  other  side  of 
the  River  is  right  along  side  of  us  to  night  all  our  fire  wood 
along  the  Humboldt  is  dry  Willow  &  Sage  a  great  many  sick 
&  dying  behind  us  we  are  some  days  to[o]  late  water  looks 
very  muddy  cold  Coffee  is  the  best  or  Vinegar  amongst  the 
water  but  I  have  to  take  it  without  either 

Wednesday  21st.  left  %  past  5  morning  good  travelling  for 
sometime  left  the  bottom  &  took  up  a  sand  Bluff,  pretty  high 
&  deep  &  so  on  for  about  one  mile  not  so  heavy  stopt  &  fed 
about  9  Ocloek  good  grass,  passed  one  dead  Horse  2  Oxen 
passed  530  head  of  Cattle  for  by  [besides]  Ox  teams  hauling 
provisions  Pomroys  Copy  1580  head  in  separate  droves  a 
great  many  other  large  droves  on  the  road  for  by  [besides] 
him  left  after  feeding  one  hour  from  9  to  10  followed  the 
Valley  about  1  hour  good  road  &  plenty  grass  touched  the 
River  &  then  took  up  a  sand  Bluff  about  100  yds  high  of  deep 
sand  after  that  sandy  but  not  very  deep  met  4  men  here 
about  300  miles  or  more  on  the  Humboldt  Valley  putting  up 
sign  boards  on  the  sides  of  the  road  looking  for  their  wifes  & 
families  &  Brothers  from  California — passed  one  grave  1 
dead  Horse  &  2  Cattle  Brandy  in  water  or  Cold  Tea  or 
Coffee  should  be  used  along  the  Humboldt  the  water  looks 
more  dirty  the  nearer  you  get  to  the  Sink  stopt  &  nooned  12 
OClock  grass  middling  good  but  not  so  wide  on  this  side  as 
it  has  been  in  the  forenoon,  pretty  warm  to  day  from  9  to 
12  Oclock  afternoon  left  at  2  Oclock  we  have  a  cool  breeze 
touched  the  River  twice  and  watered  followed  the  bottom 
for  awhile  then  took  up  a  Bluff  sand  pretty  heavy  for  a  lit- 

[198] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

tie  ways  then  down  the  Valley  road  good  for  some  ways  then 
took  up  Bluff  again  for  a  little  ways  middling  bad  sand  then 
along  the  Valley  good  road  &  plenty  of  grass,  this  afternoon 
travelled  between  2  &  %  past  4  Oclock  camp'd  for  all  night 
for  fear  of  [lacking]  grass  &  water  ahead  good  grass  to 
night  right  by  the  river  Humboldt,  plenty  of  Willow  bushes 
for  fire  wood  nothing  but  a  barren  Sage  Country  on  every 
side  of  us  Musquetoes  very  plenty  until  about  9  oclock  then 
cold  enough  to  freeze  you  with  2  Blankets  over  you  before 
morning 

Thursday  23d.  [22d.]39  left  in  the  morning  at  4  OClock 
left  the  River  good  grass  this  is  the  place  to  stop  all  night 
and  took  up  the  Bluffs  &  left  the  River  a  stretch  of  20  miles 
without  water,  all  Barren  Sage  &  pretty  heavy  sand  crossed 
a  small  desert  without  a  bunch  grass  (all  over  with  Alkali  as 
White  as  Snow)  there  are  some  roads  leading  towards  the 
River,  in  different  places  about  half  way  &  then  far  enough 
to  the  River  to  go  there  as  to  take  you  to  the  end  of  the 
twenty  mile  about  3  miles  across  the  desert  after  you  cross 
you  will  see  roads  turning  to  the  left  different  places  but  keep 
straight  ahead  for  the  white  Clay  Banks,  of  the  Humboldt 
River  a  pretty  barren  Spot  where  they  all  go  to  water 
plenty  grass  on  the  other  side  of  the  River  but  too  miry  & 
high  banks  to  get  Horses  across  especially  when  poor,  we 
swam  across  &  cut  grass  &  towed  it  across  with  a  long  rope 
and  had  no  water  but  a  coffee  pot  full  for  9  of  us  i  went  the 
twenty  miles  in  5%  Hours  with  out  water  but  the  best  way 
is  to  cut  one  or  two  Bundles  of  grass,  &  water  about  6  Gall8', 
for  4  Horses  part  of  it  feed  on  the  road  &  the  rest  of  it  when 
yt)u  get  to  the  River  &  rest  3  hours  and  refresh  your  teams 
got  here  the  20  miles  about  %  past  ten  Oclock 

[Friday  23d]  left  at  4  A.  M.  stopt  &  rested  until  2  (Mock 
some  Packers  on  Horse  back  found  a  man  afloat  today  before 
we  come  &  his  brains  smashed  clear  in  &  had  just  buried 
this  is  a  terrible  place  for  such  work  on  Ace*,  of  people  takes 


89  Here  Turnbull  lost  count  of  his  calendar  for  some  days.  The  jour- 
nal has  been  corrected  by  the  American  Almanac,  1852,  the  correct 
dates  being  placed  in  brackets. 

[199] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

[taking?]  men  through  &  using  them  worse  than  slaves  &  has 
to  walk  all  the  way  I  have  seen  plenty  of  it  myself  then  it 
brings  them  to  quarelling  &  one  or  the  other  shoots  plenty  of 
them  I  have  seen  shoved  out  in  open  Prarie  amongst  the  wild 
Indians  without  one  Biscuit  to  eat  I  would  advise  every  man 
coming  to  C — a  never  to  come  in  [a]  company  nor  join 
no  man  nor  be  taken  by  him  at  no  price  for  he  will  suffer 
worse  than  a  slave  on  Ace*  of  little  or  nothing  to  eat  &  walk 
continually  &  if  you  want  you  can't  get  it  without  a  great 
deal  of  trouble  &  perhaps  the  loss  of  lives  if  any  man  has  got 
2  middling  stubbed  Horses  from  8  to  12  years  old  &  a  mid- 
dling light  waggon  strong  tires  bolts  every  Fellow  that  has 
his  own  provisions  at  Home  &  50  dollars  in  money  can  start 
to  California  if  careful  drove  they  can  drive  them  to 
the  Sink  of  the  Humboldt  in  good  order  &  then  they  hafve  only 
about  300  miles  to  go  afternoon  left  the  River  &  turned 
of  [f]  to  left  of  the  river  about  1  Hour  clay  road  pretty  good 
then  came  to  the  River  but  little  grass  &  very  Barren  it 
looks  awful  with  white  Clay  banks  all  along  the  River  to  day 
pretty  deep  dust  until  about  %  past  4  Oclock  camp'd  for  all 
night  a  pretty  hard  days  travel  grass  not  so  good  &  plenty 
as 'it  has  .been  left  the  road  about  2  miles  to  the  River  the 
uppermost  piece  of  grass  in  view  nothing  but  barren  Sage 
brush  camp'd  along  side  of  some  people  from  Iowa  one 
night  on  the  Platt  above  us  &  [they]  got  6  Cattle  &  2  Horses 
stole  by  the  Root  Diggers  they  are  never  seen  on  the  moun- 
tains nor  in  the  Rivers  they  saw  the  tracks  of  a  naked  man 
in  the  morning  that  had  crawled  across  the  road  down  from 
the  mountains,  next  morning  they  followed  on  pursuit  of 
them  &  found  them  but  lost  one  Horse,  &  got  one  of  their  men 
shot  while  fishing  in  the  River  among  some  Willow  bushes  af- 
ter they  had  got  their  oxen  &  taken  them  from  them  five  ar- 
rows shot  into  one  Ox  when  they  found  them  &  he  died  pretty 
hot  from  10  to  2  oclock  &  dust  together  enough  sometimes 
to  suffocate  us  pretty  cold  at  nights 

Friday  22d.  [Saturday  24th]  plenty  wolves  howled  all  night 
very  large  grey  fellows  instead  of  coming  straight  ahead 
across  the  3  mile  desert  from  the  River  yesterday  we  took 
the  left  hand  road  coming  up  the  Bluff  just  as  you  leave 

[200] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

the  River,  take  the  left  hand  road  as  I  said  before  &  you  will 
find  a  good  creek  of  spring  water  running  from  the  mountains 
about  10  miles  from  the  River,  &  then  you  will  save  about  one 
%  days  travel  &  then  strike  the  River  about  as  soon  &  better 
place  for  grass  grass  is  only  to  be  found  in  some  places  here 
on  ace*  of  the  River  being  so  crooked  &  the  Clay  banks  so  ter- 
rible high  in  places,  it  is  as  much  as  you  can  do  to  lead  your 
horses  down  the  Bank  alone  it  wants  one  to  go  ahead  along 
here  about  4  Oclock  so  as  you  can  find  a  place  before  dark 
forenoon  travelled  among  dust  Clay  &  Sand  mixed  about  an- 
kle deep  &  holes  dug  about  as  deep  as  the  Ax  every  little 
ways  turned  of  [f]  down  to  the  River  to  get  water  about  10 
oclock  watered  about  2  miles  from  the  road  stopt  there  un- 
til 1  Oclock  middling  good  grass  but  very  small  bend  on  Ace' 
of  the  River  being  so  crooked  &  Banks  so  terrible  high  leaving 
the  bends  sometimes  more  grass  on  the  North  side  than  on 
the  South  &  sometimes  this  reversed,  afternoon  very  deep 
sand  and  Clay  mixed  pretty  hot  all  day  &  dusty  little  or 
no  wind  a  case  we  have  not  seen  for  some  time  stopt  about  5 
oclock  &  turned  off  to  the  River  about  one  mile  &  found  the 
best  bend  of  grass  we  had  for  some  days  met  6  men  packed 
from  California  meeting  their  friends  came  to  our  Camp  2 
men  also  buying  Horses  &  Cattle  stock  of  all  kinds  poor 
rests  them  a  few  days  &  then  drive  them  to  the  Sink  a  great 
place  for  grass  until  they  get  strong  &  then  drive  them  on  to 
California  they  are  Campd  1  mil[e]  from  us  &  has  about  40 
Horses  bought  &  feeding  there  it  was  very  hot  to  day  from 
10  A.  M.  until  6  at  night  enough  to  suffocate  man  &  Horses 
the  whites  had  a  fight  here  to  day  with  the  root  diggers  these 
men  were  up  in  the  mountains  they  saw  some  diggers  &  shot 
at  them  they  fired  they  killed  some  one  white  man  was 
shot  different  places  by  Arrows — hurt  pretty  bad  we  have 
not  seen  one  yet  they  keep  in  the  mountains  on  Acct  of  so 
many  people  being  along  the  River,  but  they  will  kill  a  man 
if  they  get  a  chance  at  him  amongst  the  mountains  by  him- 
self 

Saturday  24th.  [Sunday  25th.]  left  this  morning  &  travelled 
through  pretty  heavy  sand  touching  the  River  once  &  watered 
saw  what  they  call  the  Sink  medows  ahead  went  on  and 

[2011 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

touched  along  side  of  it  plenty  of  water  this-  is  where  the 
River  Humboldt  spreads  all  over  until  it  comes  to  the  Sink 
where  we  touched  it  at  11  Oclock  forenoon  there  is  A  little 
grass  but  all  eat  up  &  flag  as  high  as  your  head  &  very  mirey 
so  that  you  can  hardly  walk  on  in  places  I  cut  a  few  arm 
fulls  for  the  Horses  they  eat  it  well  passed  a  good  many 
Californians  trading  &  meeting  their  wifes  &  families  where  I 
speak  of  cutting  Flagg  stopt  their  2  Hours  &  rested  our 
Horses  a  great  many  large  long  billed  fowl  here  look  hand- 
some dark  green  black  birds  Cranes  &  it  has  a  green  appear- 
ance in  such  a  Barren  Country  an  extensive  Valley  left  1 
OClock  afternoon  after  you  water  where  I  watered  at  11 
Oclock  drive  a  little  about  %  an  hour  after  watering  when 
you  come  to  the  Alkali  along  side  of  the  meadows  laying  as 
thick  as  salt  sowed  all  over  the  ground  come  a  little  ahead 
of  it  &  you  will  find  a  good  well  dug  by  a  spade  about  6  ft 
deep  &  grass  enough  all  round  for  all  the  Stock  on  the  road, 
stopt  &  fed  about  1  Hour  from  watering  beyond  the  dug  well 
about  1  mile  the  best  grass  I  mostly  ever  saw  &  for  width  I 
dont  know  passed  one  station  Camp  of  Traders  from 
C — a  buying  up  poor  Horses  &  Cattle  some  from 
all  parts  of  the  States  from  4  to  10  years  stopt  at  5  oclock  on 
a  Salt  meadow  where  they  cut  their  grass  salt  laying  all 
the  ground  here,  20  Miles  from  here  to  the  desert  100s 
of  people  Horses  Cattle  &  Mules  here  feeding  people  cutting 
&  carrying  out  grass  to  make  Hay  for  the  desert  2  small  Bun- 
dles for  each  Horse  the  ground  is  covered  with  tires  &  Irons 
of  waggons  burnt  up  as  soon  as  left  Bags,  Close,  "Waggon  cov- 
ers, Ox  chains  &  every  thing  that  a  man  wears  only  Boots  and 
they  are  good  for  nothing  all  I  have  seen  yet  some  Horses 
look  poor  some  middling  4  Horses  for  2  men  &  their  provi- 
sions &c  weigh  about  500  hundred  &  a  middling  light  waggon 
is  enough  of  load  from  the  beginning  of  the  Humboldt  to 
where  I  am  now  left  after  pretty  hot  to  day,  Musquetoes 
plenty  &  large  black  flies  they  are  packing  from  here  to  go 
through  the  desert  it  is  called  the  best  way  to  cross  the  des- 
ert &  that  looks  [like]  commencing  the  desert  one  dead 
Horse  here  laying  mired  bones  plenty  all  over  some  Trad- 
ers besides  us  one  from  plainfield  named  Eddy  camp'd  all 

[202] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

night  hundreds  of  Cattle  &  Horses  we  had  to  tye  our 
Horses  to  the  Waggon  on  Acct  of  the  being  a  little  mirey  we 
cut  them  grass  the  best  salt  grass  I  ever  saw  it  is  a  branchy 
kind  of  grass  from  4  inches  to  14  inches  high  as  thick  as  hair 
on  a  Dogs  back 

Sunday  25th.  [Monday  26th.]  Musquetoes  the  worst  I  ever 
saw  we  never  slept  a  wink  all  night  stopt  here  all  day  &  cut 
our  Hay  for  the  desert  2  small  Bundles  for  each  horse,  this 
grass  scouers  our  Horses  we  take  in  water  for  the  desert  go 
in  through  amongst  the  Segs  [sedge?]  &  it  is  some  cooler  but 
not  good  &  worse  ahead  from  here  12  miles  to  the  Sink  &  8 
to  the  desert,  the  water  worse  all  the  way  along  &  very  hot 
weather  our  horses  never  began  to  fail  much  away  until 
about  3  days  ago  on  ace*  of  the  grass  &  water  scouring  them 
there  are  plenty  of  them  poor  enough  here  now  the  traders 
buy  all  kinds  &  makes  lots  of  money  by  them  the  next  morn- 
ing to  see  the  close,  shot  Bags,  chains  Wipple  [whiffle]  Teas 
waggons  covers,  Bags,  Trunks,  Boxes  &c,  left  strewd  all  over 
Sunday  night  all  burnt  up  for  fires  what  is  thrown  away 
one  day  is  burnt  up  the  next  Buffaloes  come  there  in  droves 
in  spring  &  fall  but  not  to  be  seen  now  on  Acct  of  the  Emigra- 
tion Musquetoes  very  bad  to  night  cut  grass  &  tied  our 
Horses  to  the  Waggons  all  night  for  fear  of  getting  mired  or 
stole  white  traders  are  more  apt  to  steal  they  say  than  root 
diggers  they  are  very  numerous  but  keep  in  the  mountains 
&  watch  us  coming  along  but  if  they  catch  you  on  the  moun- 
tains they  will  kill  you  the  whites  does  the  same  if  they 
get  their  eyes  on  one  they  will  shoot  him  &  that  makes  them 
worse  they  are  cunning  they  live  on  roots  &  acorns,  lay 
up  store  for  winter  I  saw  two  yesterday  from  California 
along  with  some  traders  to  watch  for  them  these  Traders 
most  of  them  are  called  Mountaineers,  they  live  &  marry 
amongst  them  &  trade  &  steal  from  Emigrants  &  blaime  the 
diggers,  some  of  them  are  hard  looking  cases  with  their  Re- 
volvers &  knifes  stuck  by  their  side  &  very  few  of  them 
shaves, 

Monday  26th.  [Tuesday,  27th.]  camp'd  here  all  night  Mus- 
quetoes very  bad  left  at  4  oclock  morning  Loaded  about  200 
weight  of  grass  &  some  8  Gallons  of  water  for  the  Sink  some 

[203] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

took  20  Do  for  5  Horses  300  or  4  here  in  a  waggon  to  cross  the 
Desert  &  get  through  quick  from  20  to  25  miles  pr  day  is 
enough  for  2  Horses  in  pretty  good  order,  left  at  5  oclock 
this  morning  come  along  a  Salt  plain  for  some  ways  very 
good  road  after  that  some  part  of  it  middling  heavy  Sand 
some  ways  &  then  very  good  turned  off  to  the  right  about  % 
mile  turned  out  our  Horses  to  grass  y2  past  9  oclock  &  gave 
them  a  little  of  the  meadow  water  it  does  not  taste  bad  nor 
salty  but  warm  &  shallow  the  best  way  is  to  bring  India  Rub- 
ber Bags  to  hold  about  6  gallons  each  from  where  we  took  in 
water  &  grass  &  then  you  can  give  your  Horses  a  little  of  this 
water  &  save  what  you  carry  until  you  get  to  the  Sink  give 
yaler  [yellow  ?]  Horses  some  of  this  Sulphur  water  &  some  of 
what  you  are  carrying  this  is  water  enough  for  6  or  8 
Horses  &  Coffee  for  your  own  use  cold  plenty  Apples  &  Bis- 
cuit a  gentle  breeze  of  wind  this  forenoon  middling  warm 
mountains  along  here  on  each  side  of  this  vast  plain  not  very 
high  but  very  high  in  other  places  from  where  we  fed  at  V% 
past  9  came  in  sight  of  the  Humboldt  Lake  about  here  about 
as  good  grass  as  when  we  fed  &  that  not  very  great  but  just 
at  the  bend  of  the  Lake,  close  by  the  mountains  where  the 
road  leaves  the  Valley  &  goes  along  side  of  the  mountains  on 
the  left  &  the  Lake  on  the  right  close  by  stopt  &  fed  at  this 
bend  12  Oclock  it  is  better  to  noon  a  little  before  you  come 
here  011  Acct  of  the  grass  being  to[o]  Salt  &  the  weather 
pretty  hot  &  so  close  to  the  mountains  it  makes  your  stock 
drink  to[o]  much  left  old  Mullians  Horse  at  this  bend  he 
has  not  been  put  in  harness  for  pretty  near  1000  miles  back 
&  seemed  not  to  do  any  good  but  followed  along  until  the 
weather  got  pretty  hot  &  came  to  travel  amongst  the  deep 
sand  &  dust  he  was  offered  $12  for  him  from  a  trader  on 
the  24th.  &  would  not  take  it  but  I  should  have  taken  it  2  weeks 
ago  he  could  not  live  without  oats  he  was  good  as  long  as 
he  lasted  or  had  grain  he  drove  him  into  the  Lake  Hum- 
boldt at  noon  26th.  &  pushed  him  over  so  we  left  him  lying 
but  his  head  still  above  water  about  the  middle  of  this  bend 
of  the  Lake  about  y2  way  from  where  we  nooned  stands  a  lone 
tree  doubled  bodied  we  came  down  within  2  miles  of  the 
Sink  &  camp  'd  all  night  tolerable  grass  here  &  the  same  about 

[204] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

%  way  along  from  noon  but  some  eat  right  opposite  the 
second  Island  of  Kanebreaks  tremendous  mountains  high  all 
along  the  Lake  this  Afternoon.  Afternoon  some  part  of  the 
road  pretty  stoney  &  rough  every  one  mostly  waters  their 
animals  out  of  the  Lake  it  wants  plenty  of  Acid  to  put  in 
the  water  all  through  their  journey,  pretty  cool  to  night 
some  Deer  flies  to  day  &  plenty  large  black  ones  no  Musque- 
toes  much  to  night  plenty  fish  in  this  Lake  very  large 
white  Cranes  &c  I  came  across  a  Canoe  on  the  Beach  made  of 
rushes  or  rather  flags  very  neat  made,  but  no  Indians  to  be 
seen  18  miles  to  day  2  miles  from  the  Sulphur  Spring  we 
rest  here  until  2  OClock  tomorrow  afternoon  £  then  by  trav- 
elling a  little  before  we  come  to  the  Sulphur  Spring  our 
Horses  will  be  more  apt  to  drink  good  before  taking  the 
Desert  North  &  South  road  comes  together  at  the  end  of  the 
Sink. 

left  Tuesday  [Wednesday?]  forenoon  about  10  clock  on 
Ace1  of  the  Salt  grass  scouring  &  Lake  water  to[o]  Salt  to  quench 
their  thirst  moved  along  about  3  miles  over  2  sand  Bluffs 
from  the  Bottom  of  the  Lake  or  Sink  passed  one  trading 
post  buying  &  selling  Calif ornians  Stopt  &  fed  our  Horses 
here  right  on  the  edge  of  a  Sulphur  Sleugh  here  on  dry  hay 
that  we  carried  for  until  2  Oclock  &  then  start  for  the  desert 
here  are  lots  of  Traders  from  all  parts  selling  Brandy  $1.50 
pr  pint  Flour  from  25  to  35  pr  Ib  &  but  [about]  here  are  State 
officers  sent  on  from  California  with  Flour  &  every  thing  a 
family  or  single  man  wants  to  give  them  for  nothing  to  carry 
them  to  carson  Valley  &  then  from  the  Valley  to  be  supplied 
&  sent  through  they  seem  to  be  fine  men  &  think  nothing  of 
money,  every  man  wants  liquor  of  his  own  with  him  along 
here  to  put  in  water  I  spoke  to  one  California  miner  &  he 
told  me  every  one  paid  $3  pr  Year  for  this  left  this  station 
at  2  Oclock  P.  M.  grass  about  6  miles  from  this  Station  & 
the  same  kind  of  water  we  had  at  the  Station  about  1  mile 
from  the  road  we  did  not  stop  but  went  ahead  &  many  oth- 
ers an  excellent  road  for  some  ways  then  a  little  stone  then 
very  smooth  for  some  ways  stopt  &  fed  about  16  miles  & 
made  some  Tea  8  Oclock  P.  M.  fed  one  hour  and  then  went 
on  bright  moon  light  some  places  [the  grass?]  a  little  but 

[205] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

short  &  the  rest  very  good  came  to  a  fellow  by  the  name  of 
J.  Rose  that  used  to  live  at  Liberty  Ville  once  partner  with 
McDuffy  on  the  OPlain  waiting  for  3  of  his  Brothers  coming 
through  he  is  selling  water  here  &  has  4  Teams  hauling  wa- 
ter night  &  day  &  Grass  from  Carson  Valley  &  buys  up  tired 
stock  feeds  them  grass  &  water  for  2  or  3  days  &  then  sends 
them  off  to  the  River  at  night  when  cool  %  way  on  the  desert 
he  is  Stationed  water  6s  pr  gallon  he  gave  me  all  I  could 
drink  &  the  rest  of  us  for  nothing  he  knew  Job  Galloway  & 
the  Steels 40  when  at  Home  he  keeps  the  Railroad  House  27 
miles  this  side  of  Hangtown  their  is  a  water  &  liquor  sta- 
tion every  2  &  4  miles  between  him  &  the  end  of  the  desert 
or  Carson  River  only  7  miles  at  the  last  of  it  without  any 
one  stationed  without  you  meet  the  teams  on  the  road  &  they 
will  sell  you  from  the  20  miles  on  if  you  want  a  good  deal 
from  75  50cts  to  25  the  lowest  &  2  Bits  pr  drink  or  all  kinds 
of  Liquors  it  is  better  for  a  man  to  buy  than  to  load  down 
his  Horses  carry  only  enough  to  serve  himself  &  stocks  the 
first  20  Miles  at  the  last  of  it  12  Miles  of  heavy  sand  &  the 
greater  part  of  it  no  track  about  as  heavy  as  that  at  trad- 
ers no  track  on  acct  of  loose  Cattle  being  drove  along 
[which]  fill  it  up  met  Robert  about  18  miles  from  the  River 
with  2  Mules  &  1  Ponie  or  I  know  we  should  have  to  leave  one 
waggon  we  had  to  lead  Tom  clear  through  on  Accf.  of  being 
scoured  with  the  Salt  water  &  grass 

Wednesday  27th.  [Thursday,  28th]  we  got  to  the  River41 
1  hour  after  Sunrise  &  had  a  very  cool  night  \  to  Carson  city^ 
huts  all  made  by  bushes  and  Canvass  fellows  from  California 
Bakers  Butchers  Saloons  traders  of  all  kinds  for  the*  season 
Robert  has  been  here  buying  &  selling  Horses  Waggons  &c  for 
3  months  so  he  said  5  or  6  of  them  make  them  a  Wigwam  & 


40  Job   Galloway   was  a  farmer   from   Deerfield,   Illinois;    the   Steel 
brothers,  William,  James,  and  Matthew,  were  farmers  from  Lake  For- 
est, and  are  reputed  to  have  brought  back  a  "small  fortune"  from  Cali- 
fornia.— A.  J.  T. 

41  From  the  sink  of  the  Carson  River,  most  of  the  places  on  the  trail 
may  be  identified  on  the  Topog.  Map  of  the  U.  S.,  in  the  following  quad- 
rangles:    Carson    Sink,   Wabuska,    Carson,   Markleeville    (California), 
Pyramid  Peak,  and  Sacramento. 

[2061 


Turnbull's  Travels 

live  like  Indians  100s  of  them  follow  the  same  buy  poor 
stock  cut  grass  &c  feed  them  after  they  get  a  good  many 
in  the  fall  drive  them  off  to  C — a  we  then  drove  up 
the  River  to  where  he  had  his  Camp  among  some  large  Cotton 
"Wood  &  Willow  bushes  about  14  miles  from  the  end  of  the 
desert  the  desert  is  a  continual  string  of  dead  Horses 
&  Cattle  likewise  on  the  Lake  shore  from  10  to  13  lying  in  a 
bunch  strung  along  from  the  very  beginning  to  the  end  of  it 
up  the  Valley  &  all  &  a  way  of [f]  in  the  desert  for  20  Rod 
where  they  have  hunted  for  water  &  fell  right  dead,  wag- 
gons &  Irons  and  Kegs,  close  Ox  chains  Bags,  Buggy  Irons 
strewed  as  thick  as  the  Cattle  some  this  season  but  mostly 
all  in  1850  saw  2  graves  to  day  Valley  covered  at  every 
bend  of  the  River  [with]  Irons  of  Waggons  Cattle  &  all  along 

Thursday.  [Friday  30th.]  camp'd  here  all  day  4  miles  up 
the  River  buyers  &  Traders  &c  all  along  I  never  felt  better 
on  the  road  than  I  felt  in  crossing  the  Desert  until  the  last 
4  miles  &  pretty  near  walked  all  the  way  until  the  last  4 
miles  I  felt  a  little  tired  &  sleepy  my' feet  felt  good  &  Boots 
easy  the  new  ones  I  had  3  glasses  of  Brandy  that  just  kept 
me  alive  &  killed  the  water  I  drink  got  some  strong  Tea  Ap- 
ples &  Biscuits  &  then  lay  down  amongst  the  bushes  &  took 
a  sleep  but  some  suffered  crossing  &  will  suffer  1000s  behind 
us,  there  will  be  enough  of  dead  Cattle  &  Horses  one  month 
or  less  from  now  a  man  told  me  before  we  met  Robert  that 
Lacey  &  Fuller42  &c  landed  in  Hangtown  8  days  ago  very 
hot  this  forenoon  if  we  had  not  got  in  as  soon  as  we  did  we 
would  have  suffered  with  heat  no  shelter  from  the  burning 
Sun  &  Hot  sand  enough  to  burn  Your  Boots  in  the  middle  of 
the  day  we  had  a  few  drops  of  rain  to  day  some  Indians 
here  Crows  camp'd  at  8  OClock  stopt  &  rested  our  Horses 
grass  short  in  places  but  we  put  "them  on  an  island  over  the 
C  [arson]  River  good  long  grass  as  good  as  oats  to  a  Horse 

[Saturday,  31st.]  left  Saturday  morning  8  OClock  pretty 
cool  but  very  hot  while  we  stayed  our  teams  felt  well  but 
poor  but  not  much  worse  than  you  have  seen  their  a  com- 
pany crossed  the  Desert  Friday  that  we  used  to  travel  with 


42  Lacy  was  a  sailor  whose  parents  lived  at  Winnetka,  Illinois;  Fuller 
was  a  farmer  from  Wheeling,  Illinois. — A.  J.  T. 

[207] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

from  Chicago  Names  Vader,  Mahon,  his  father  lives  by  John 
Careys,  Thos.  Othod  John  Do,  T.  Clarke  &c  There  is  a  gov- 
ernment Camp  here  for  the  relief  of  them  thats  in  need,  if 
no  money  or  sick  a  Doctor  to  attend  them  paid  by  the  Miners, 
travelled  about  4  miles  on  the  Flatt  of  the  River  good  road 
and  grass  carried  water  &  fed  here  for  one  hour  then  took 
a  16  mile  desert,  pretty  rough  &  stoney  in  places  some  small 
pitches  turned  to  the  left  over  a  Stoney  hill  to  the  River  & 
found  grass  3  ft  high  blue  joint  &  good  shade  trees  to  keep  us 
from  the  sun  passed  a  large  body  of  Salt  like  a  lake  to  the 
right  hand  saw  two  graves  of  this  bend  one  from  Missourie 
this  is  22  miles  today  stopt  about  4  Oclock  passed  some 
"Waggons  burnt  up  on  the  road  Rifle  barrels  in  every  direc- 
tion on  the  road  &  in  these  bends  &  close  of  all  kinds 

[Sunday,  August  1st.]  stopt  all  day  Sunday  wolves  here 
in  every  direction  at  night  Buffaloe  dung  in  every  direction 
on  these  bends  Cotton  woods  here  from  4  to  6  ft  through 

Monday  1st.  [2nd.]  left  5  Oclock  &  went  along  side  of  the 
River  stopt  until  about  3  Oclock  &  rested  good  grass  & 
good  road  middling  warm  to  day.  left  3  Oclock  &  crossed 
a  Barren  Sandy  road  called  a  desert  10  miles  to  the  River 
again  plenty  good  grass  blue  joint  3  ft  high  &  good  shade 
trees  for  you  to  camp  under  this  country  around  here  looks 
something  like  a  country  for  mining  passed  2  dead  Cattle 
some  Musquetoes  last  night  some  knats,  Wolves  plenty 

Tuesday  3d.  rested  all  day  until  about  4  Oclock  a  grand 
place  to  recruit  Horses  &c  the  best  bottoms  &  largest  valleys 
of  grass  that  I  have  seen  since  we  left  the  Platt  travelled  to 
day  about  6  miles  "  enough  to  make  the  Horses  eat  good 
Camp'd  about  6  Oclock  fine  cool  day 

Wednesday  4th.  people  Packing  afoot  &  selling  out  all  they 
have  to  the  traders  pretty  cool  last  night  on  ace1  of  being 
near  the  mountains  the  white  &  red  clover  here  is  lying  in  a 
mass  here  dead  ripe  in  small  patches  along  this  River  is  the 
place  to  fatten  stock  quick  good  feed  &  water  some  Buf- 
faloes come  here  at  times  plenty  Wolves,  Crows,  Ducks,  & 
Hares,  very  large  &  long  ears  pretty  cool  this  morning  stopt 
all  day  very  cool  to  day  some  little  rain  about  6  oclock 

Thursday   5th.   middling   cold  last   night     some   men   come 

[208] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

here  last  night  that  has  run  a  road  through  to  Sonora  a  nearer 
&  better  route  for  grass  &  not  so  mountainous  but  deception 
in  people  here  can  not  be  fathomed  stopt  all  day  some  men 
come  here  from  Sonora  California  &  reckoned  they  had  run  a 
road  over  the  mountains  some  80  miles  nearer  to  Sacramento 
it  came  right  out  where  we  are  camp'd  but  Robert  said  the 
old  road  over  the  Sierrnavado  [Sierra  Nevada]  was  bad 
enough  but  he  was  afraid  that  would  be  worse,  it  beats  all 
to  see  the  Waggons  &  close  even  property  of  all  kinds  thrown 
on  the  ground  &  left  to  any  one  that  wishes  to  pick  them  up 
some  sells  their  Horses  some  there  Cattle  leaves  Wagons  close 
of  every  description  guns  &c  lying  takes  what  they  have  got 
on  their  back  &  puts  for  the  Mountains  some  packs  their 
Horses  &  some  takes  their  Waggons  instead  of  that  they 
could  rest  a  few  days  about  35  Miles  from  Rag  Town  up  the 
River  where  you  could  put  1000  head  on  grass  &  would  not 
be  seen  Clover  about  3  ft  long  blue  joint  by  resting  their 
teams  a  few  days  they  could  cross  the  Mountains  if  they  have 
got  provisions  &  take  their  property  along  their  is  no  grass 
within  80  miles  of  Hangtown  by  taken  [taking]  in  stock  in 
good  order  they  would  then  be  fit  for  Market  you  can  sell 
Cattle  here  to  Robert  &  all  the  miners  mostly  out  here  buy- 
ing Cattle  Horses  &  Waggons,  from  $50  to  100  pr  yoke  Horses 
they  would  sooner  trade  Mules  for  Waggons 

[Friday]  6th.     lay  still 

Saturday  7th.    lay  still 

Sunday  8th.  Do  [ditto]  pretty  cold  night  here  we  can  see 
some  snow  on  the  mountains  a  head  part  of  the  Sierra  Ne- 
vada Blue  joint  grass  here  will  cut  4  Ton  to  the  acre,  or 
more  one  man  died  here  &  was  buried  this  morning  thrown 
into  a  hole  with  his  closes  &  some  old  Buffaloe  skins  &  cov- 
ered up  this  is  the  last  of  three  but  one  &  5  Horses  this'  is 
the  way  a  mans  property  goes  they  say  amongst  the  large 
Ox  teams  behind  us  they  have  died  in  great  numbers  &  are 
dying  more  &  more  every  day  the  last  will  be  apt  to  suffer 
we  bought  of  Robert  Flour  $10  pr  Hundred  from  the  Ea  but 
these  Traders  wants  $25  &  30  also  side  Bacon  from  Emigrants 
2  Bits  pr  Ib.  they  cooked  some  meals  for  men  travelling  on 
Foot  &  Packing  75cts.  pr  meal  at  the  Station  they  charge 

[209] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

$1,00  bread  Pork  &  Coffee  Apple  Sauce  take  it  right  of  [f] 
the  ground  any  person  or  family  stopping  here  to  refresh 
their  teams  could  make  by  meals  a  pocket  full  of  money  in 
quick  time  Small  Apple  Plate  Pies  $1  pr  piece  very  cold 
here  at  night  middling  warm  through  the  day  but  always  a 
good  breeze  of  wind  all  kinds  of  liquor  here  25cts  pr  drink 
people  selling  boots  shoes  &  shirts  coats  &  indeed  every  thing 
for  nothing  &  more  thrown  on  the  ground  that  [than]  sold  no 
man  would  try  to  haul  nor  carry  them  over  the  mountains  & 
plenty  of  Horses  some  6  to  a  waggon  &  in  good  grass  order  as 
we  commonly  see  them  in  IIIs.  the  time  of  Harvest  scores 
of  people  leaving  their  waggons  selling  their  Cattle  & 
footing  it  through  Dwyres  Boys  passed  us  here  yesterday 
Connallen  is  sick  of  a  fever  the  rest  all  well  &  fat  &  left  this 
beautiful  bend  of  grass  Monday  morning  at  6  oclock 

[Monday]  9th  of  August  this  bend  is  right  at  the  ford  of 
the  River  new  route  or  S-W  route  across  the  Sierra  Nevada 
called  nearer  &  better  but  we  dont  know  but  we  will 
soon  here  of  it  we  followed  all  along  the  River  grass  not 
so  plenty,  nor  not  so  large  places  or  bends  but  enough  hand- 
some mountains  of  round  stone  &  Rocks  &  has  the  appearance 
as  if  being  burnt  by  fire  handsome  large  shade  Cotton  wood 
trees  all  along  stopt  &  turned  out  11  oclock  and  fed  mid- 
dling good  road  some  rough  in  places  followed  the  River  all 
along  this  afternoon  travelled  to  day  about  16  miles  or  18 
miles  the  most  of  grass  is  on  the  other  side  of  the  River  it 
appeared  to  look  at  the  mountains  ahead  of  us  &  so  high  on 
each  side  of  us  that  we  were  at  the  end  of  all  pass  but  still 
the  road  goes  ahead  along  the  bottoms  of  the  River  once  & 
a  while  we  have  to  turn  of  [f]  over  some  short  high  Bluffs  to 
day  terrible  dusty  sort  of  black,  &  White  sand  ground  up  by 
the  Waggon  wheels  fine  enough  to  blind  you  we  suffered  to 
day  without  wind  ahead  all  day  came  to  the  junction  of  an- 
other road  that  leaves  the  River  some  ways  back  &  comes  in 
to  the  River  here  again  for  26  miles  a  good  many  miles 
nearer  but  no  water  nor  grass  they  say — to  carry  water  & 
grass  from  the  River  this  Carson  River  all  proceeds  from 
the  snow  melting  from  the  Sierra  Nevada  mountains. 

Tuesday  10th.  camp'd  last  night  6  Oclock  under  a  large  Cot- 

[210] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

ton  Wood  about  6  ft  through  &  a  very  large  top  enough  to 
shade  or  cover  4  "Waggons — took  our  Horses  &  oxen  across 
the  River  &  found  excellent  grass  for  miles  in  length  a 
trader  stationed  here  has  a  great  number  of  Horses  &  Cattle 
running  here  that  they  have  bought  of  traders  all  along  here 
pretty  cold  last  night  left  this  morning  6  Oclk  passed  one 
mining  establishment  on  the  bank  of  the  River  they  have 
done  a  good  deal  of  Ditching  &  Dyking  here  also  made  a 
claim  of  160  Acres  on  the  Valley  for  the  purposes  of  buying 
lame  &  poor  stock  for  fatting  &  selling  or  trading  they  have 
some  hired  cutting  hay  some  ditching  some  Dyking  a  little 
way  from  this  about  2  Miles  their  is  another  Station  or  place 
where  they  are  digging  they  have  got  plenty  of  young  birds 
&  chickens  &  hens  here  we  stopt  &  fed  one  large  log  house 
made  of  Cotton  wood  they  keep  liquor  &  things  for  sale  one 
more  log  House  down  near  the  River  another  made  of  shakes 
&  some  tents  "they  hire  men  Cutting  Hay  &  have  got  a  Rail- 
road from  the  mountains  made  of  Waggon  tires  a  good  place 
to  keep  stock  &  cut  Hay — they  have  a  creek  close  by  where 
they  are  mining  so  as  they  can  wash  fall  &  Spring  for  some 
time  they  intend  to  make  a  Village  here  from  that  we  as- 
cended a  pretty  high  coble  stone  hill  for  about  %  mile  along- 
from  the  top  of  this  hill  to  the  right  stands  another  log  House 
in  a  gulley  where  some  are  mining  pretty  rough  road  this  af- 
ternoon all  cobble  ston  passed  one  dead  Horse  one  Ox 
crossed  10  miles  desert  passed  up  a  small  Bluff  of  solid 
slacked  lime  as  sharp  as  new  Slacked  clot  it  seems  to  be  the 
same  all  over  this  desert  the  mountains  along  today  are  all 
covered  with  Pine  &  Cedars,  after  leaving  the  desert  struck 
the  River  here  was  a  Station  called  the  Hosier  Ranger  on 
the  Sign  pole  selling  liquor  &c  a  little  farther  ahead  another 
all  made  of  Canvas  counter  all  covered  with  Canvas  &c  of  all 
kinds  for  sale  Turnips  &c  raised  over  on  the  Valley  at  a  mor- 
mon Station  ahead  of  us  some  ways  another  a  few  Rod  about 
one  mile  from  this  Camp'**  along  side  of  the  River  on  a  Val- 
ley of  grass  over  2  miles  wide  not  very  hot  to  day 

Wednesday  11th.  pretty  cool  last  night  very  cold  before 
sunrise  we  camp'd  opposite  a  road  leading  over  the  Sierra 
Nevada  called  Yankie  Jims  route  very  few  went  it  it  is 

[211] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

hard  to  say  what  kind  of  a  road  it  is  left  this  morning  at 
6  Oclock  &  left  the  River  crossed  a  barren  Sandy  road  for 
6  miles  then  came  to  a  creek  running  across  the  road  from  the 
mountains  as  cold  as  Ice  here  is  another  traders  Station  here 
all  along  this  valley  is  an  immense  width  the  lofty  Sierra  Ne- 
vada on  the  right  Hand  covered  with  lofty  pines  mountains 
running  almost  perpendicular  &  their  tops  spotted  with  Snow 
to  look  ahead  you  wrould  think  their  is  no  outlet  nooned 
close  by  a  Mormon  Station 43  one  large  log  house  2  or  3 
tents  a  garden  part  fenced  in  some  turnips  &  garden  stuff 
growing  they  have  stalks  [stacks]  of  Hay  cut  almost  40  ft 
long  &  are  still  cutting  they  buy  poor  stock  sells  goods  &c 
turnip  10cts.  per  Ib.  left  at  1  Oclock  Afternoon  this  is  a  val- 
ley of  grass  out  of  all  bounds  passed  a  large  patch  of  wild 
tares  about  %  grown,  passed  some  very  good  log  houses  some 
3  or  4  one  has  a  good  garden  all  kinds  of  vegetables  & 
some  corn  Barley  &  oats  passed  some  very  handsome  Springs 
boiling  out  of  the  ground  &  some  running  from  the  foot  of  the 
mountains  next  came  to  what  they  call  the  Mormon  Station 
or  Tavern  B — Shop  it  stands  on  a  handsome  bend  along 
side  of  the  lofty  Sierra  covered  by  lofty  Pines  &  Pines  near 
his  door  4  ft.  through  Blacksmith  Shop  here  &  fresh  beef 
for  Sale  &c  also  passed  some  boiling  hot  springs  close  at  the 
foot  of  the  mountains  also  a  pretty  large  farm  here  barley 
ripe,  oats,  Potatoes  in  blossom  Melons  &c.  some  pieces  of 
Stony  road  this  afternoon,  &  some  very  smooth  handsome  as 
any  carriage  road  black  flint  stone  that  rolls  from  the  Moun- 


43  The  present  town  of  Genoa,  Nevada,  is  on  the  site  of  a  Mormon 
Station  that  was  first  established  in  the  upper  Carson  Valley  during 
1849  by  H.  S.  Beatie.  Robert  Lyon  declared  in  1880  that  it  was  al- 
ready well  known  when  he  stopped  there  in  July,  1850.  In  1851  John 
Reese  brought  a  train  of  wagons,  with  food,  from  Great  Salt  Lake  and 
reestablished  the  trading  place.  Its  log  cabin  may  have  been  the  first 
in  Nevada.  The  prospectors  who  were  already  investigating  the  Car- 
son River  region  organized  a  squatter  government  here  in  November, 
1851,  while  in  1852  the.  first  land  claim  was  filed  by  Reese.  Utah  or- 
ganized the  region  as  Carson  County  in  1854.  Myron  Angel  (ed.), 
Hist,  of  Nevada  with  Illustrations  and  Biographical  Sketches  (Oak- 
land, Cal.,  1881),  pp.  30,  31;  Bancroft,  Utah,  p.  591;  Bancroft,  Nevada, 
Colorado,  and  Wyoming,  pp.  66,  69. 

[212] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

tains  all  mashed  up  small  by  the  Waggon  wheels,  John- 
stones  cut  off  44  turns  right  up  a  gulley  over  the  top  of  these 
lofty  Sierras  crowded  by  lofty  pines  to  the  Northern,  mines, 
a  pack  road  a  little  track  like  a  foot  path  camp'd  6  Oclock 
at  the  foot  of  the  lofty  Sierra  by  a  spring  brook  &  our  stock 
in  grass  to  the  eyes  pretty  cold  here  to  night. 

Thursday  12th.  stock  scattered  all  over  this  Valley  by 
traders  &  emigrants  left  camp  6  oclock  forenoon  passed 
some  very  handsome  rivulets'" of  Springing  water  running 
from  the  mountains  passed  a  good  many  trader  stations 
nooned  beside  a  Station  log  House  roofed  with  pieces  of  Can- 
vas, about  20  Rod  from  the  mountains  afternoon,  travelled 
about  13  miles  to  the  mouth  of  the  Cannon  [canyon]  the  cross- 
ing off  this  Sierra  Nevada  the  road  this  afternoon  is  some 
ways  from  the  Valley  through  barren  sand  &  sage  bush  about 
2  miles  from  the  Valley  &  River  some  middling  rough  places 
on  Ace1,  of  large  rocks  you  have  to  drive  very  slow  about 
1  mile  from  the  Kanyan  you  ascend  a  short  [hill]  but  steep  & 
Rocky  to  the  left  before  you  come  to  the  Kanyan  it  is  a  hand- 
some sight  to  look  at  the  Valley  to  the  left  covered  by  over 
grown  pines  &  handsome  Valley  of  grass  here  &  there  over 
among  these  mountains  before  entering  the  Kanyan  we  camp'd 
right  at  the  entrance  of  the  Kanyan45  a  romantic  scene  to  see 
the  lofty  mountains  of  rock  on  each  side  it  is  just  like  en- 
tering the  mouth  of  a  cave  &  the  sounding  of  the  trees  and  the 


44  Johnson's  Cut-off  left  the  Carson  Valley  two  miles  above  the  Mormon 
Station,  and  was  one  of  the  routes  to  Placerville.  Fremont  entered  the 
Sacramento  Valley  in  1844  through  this  pass,  or  near  to  it.  H.  H.  Ban- 
croft, Hist,  of  California  (San  Francisco,  1886-90),  iv,  p.  438;  "Report 
of  Committee  on  Internal  Improvements,"  App.  to  Cal.  Assem.  Journal, 
1855. 

46  The  road  which  Turnbull  followed  continued  up  the  Carson  River, 
through  the  Canyon  and  Hope  Valley,  and  crossed  the  Sierra  by  West 
Carson  Pass.  It  was  recommended  to  the  California  Assembly  in  1855 
as  perhaps  the  best  route  for  a  road  from  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  although 
every  pass  had  its  advocates  and  its  maligners.  In  1849  many  of  the 
later  emigrants  were  caught  here  by  failing  teams  and  lack  of  provi- 
sions, and  were  relieved  by  the  efforts  of  General  P.  Smith,  command- 
ing in  California.  Letters  on  the  relief,  here  and  at  the  other  passes, 
are  in  31  Cong.,  1  sess.,  Sen.  Docs.,  p.  52,  llOff. 

[213] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

rushing  of  the  river  over  the  high  rocks  makes  a  continual 
noise  and  constant  cold  wind  waving  the  lofty  pines  up  in 
the  air  above  our  heads  we  stopt  all  night  on  a  valley  of  good 
grass  at  the  mouth  of  the  Canyon  the  Rocks  standing  perpen- 
dicular up  in  the  Sky  above  our  heads. 

Thursday  12th.  [Friday  13th.]  very  cold  last  night  traders 
camp'd  all  along  buying  up  stock  from  the  Sink  &  above  it  300 
miles  from  California  regular  thoroughfare  coming  &  going  left 
the  mouth  7  0  clock  &  got  through  it  about  12  aifter  we  left  about 
one  mile  their  is  a  bridge  across  the  River  Carson  in  the  middle  of 
the  Kanyan  built  by  a  man  from  California  &  two  others  ahead  he 
charged  $1  for  the  3  for  one  span'  Horses  &  Waggon  &  one 
Bit  for  each  drove  horse  or  Ox  this  is  the  3d  bridge  before 
you  come  to  it  a  little  &  after  you  cross  it  surpasses  all  i  ever 
saw  for  large  rock  hardly  wide  enough  for  a  Waggon  &  rocks 
tons  weight  to  scramble  over  half  the  height  of  a  waggon  no 
track  for  the  wheels  or  horses,  but  just  to  roll  up  &  down  the 
best  way  they  can  a  man  can  stop  in  the  Valley  &  fatten 
his  team  he  need  not  attempt  to  try  it  then  they  are  good 
horses  if  they  take  through  an  empty  Waggon  it  wants  2 
Span  to  take  3  hundred  [weight]  &  then  the  Waggon  is  in 
danger  Waggons  broke  &  smashed  all  along  we  passed 
some  handsome  little  flats  of  grass  in  the  Kanyan,  come  to 
a  large  handsome  Valley  at  the  head  of  the  Kanyan  8  miles 
from  the  mouth  this  is  5  hours  &  over  coming  8  miles 
nooned  at  the  end  of  8  miles  a  large  beautiful  Valley  good 
feed  after  you  leave  the  Kanyan  the  road  crosses  the  River 
their  is  a  good  place  to  feed  your  animals  the  Carson  River 
at  present  here  is  not  more  than  from.  1  to  2  ft  deep  &  from 
1  to  2  Rod  wide  these  bridges  are  made  here  on  Ace*,  of  these 
large  rocks  or  it  would  be  dangerous  for  the  animals  to  go 
through  the  River  over  amongst  these  rocks  on  ace1,  of  Slip- 
ping &  killing  themselves  we  have  it  very  cool  &  shady  this 
forenoon  moving  up  the  Kanyan  pretty  warm  in  the  valley 
&  the  mountains  covered  by  large  heaps  of  Snow  right  above 
us  Afternoon  from  this  crossing  of  the  River  after  leaving  the 
Kanyan  you  will  find  some  handsome  plains  of  grass  right  & 
left  &  some  very  handsome  openings  of  Scattered  pines  &  the 
lofty  tops  of  the  Rocky  Sierra  Mountains  with  their  lofty  tops 

[214] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

spotted  with  Snow  on  each  side  of  us  the  road  this  afternoon 
was  very  handsome  small  gravel  some  few  small  rocks 
Camp'd  all  night  about  6  miles  from  the  crossing  of  the  Car- 
son River  above  the  Kanyan  found  good  grass,  &  the  River 
close  by  pretty  cold  to  night  after  sun  down 

Friday  13th.  [Saturday  14th.]  i  washed  a  handkerchief  this 
morning  after  sunrise  a  little  &  it  froze  stiff  an  hour  after 
that  hot  enough  to  wear  linen  trowsers  left  morning  6  Oclock 
&  commenced  ascending  the  lofty  Sierra  mountains  at  the  up- 
per part  of  the  Valley  above  mentioned  in  midst  of  the  lofty  fyf 
pines  &  cedars,  ascending  gradual  for  a  while"  amongst  Rocks 
&  small  gravel  spurred  [stirred]  up  by  the  feet  of  the  animals 
&  "Waggons  shortly  after  ascending  for  some  time  came  to  a 
handsome  Lake  &  pretty  large  some  grass  has  been  cut  here 
to  feed  animals  on  ace1,  of  it  being  miry  from  that  we  had 
some  middling  good  road  &  some  terrible  Sidling  for  some 
ways,  then  crossed  a  small  run  of  water — by  Springs  gushing 
out  of  the  mountains  caused  perhaps  by  the  Snow  on  the  top 
then  we  commenced  what  I  call  ascending  terrible  to  look  up 
to  ever  conceive  how  a  team  could  ever  Scramble  up  straight 
up  crooked  &  all  shapes  amongst  the  lofty  pines  &  Rocks  from 
2  to  6  ft  through  clefts  of  Rocks  hardly  the  width  of  a 
waggon  &  solid  rock  in  the  centre  of  the  trails  in  places  that 
a  horse  or  ox  can  hardly  Straddle  over  over  some  places 
narrow  enough  to  roll  through  with  the  hubs  on  the  top  of 
the  rock  other  places  again  one  wheel  going  over  a  Rock  3 
or  ft  4  high  &  the  other  grinding  in  a  crivis  [crevice]  below 
some  places  turn  to  the  left  one  step  the  next  step  turn  to 
the  right  one  time  cracking  she  goes  another  time  grind  &  ^  */ 
another  time  hop  &  another  time  bounce  she  goes  it  is  aw-  ^ 
ful  to  see  it  the  Kanyan  is  bad  but  I  think  its  nothing  to^this 
at  last  surmounted  the  top  of  the  first  mountain  it  was  a 
happy  sight  the  appea[ra]nce  at  the  top  looks  like  as  if 
part  of  the  mountains  had  sunk  one  half  of  it  resembles  a 
flat  but  still  rocky  in  places  some  little  up  hill  &  down  & 
difficult  places  amongst  rocks  to  get  through  &  some  pieces 
of  road  very  good  small  gravel  passed  some  small  Lakes  & 
ponds  after  leaving  the  top  &  lofty  covered  Sierra  to  the  left 
appearing  close  by  us  almost  covered  by  Snow  &  right  where 

[215] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

we  are  now  grass  flowers  of  all  kind  &  bushes  of  all  kinds 
mostly  in  full  bloom  two  weeks  ago  hardly  any  grass,  the 
next  we  came  to  was  a  middling  ascent  some  rough  &  Rocky 
to  a  large  handsome  lake  streams  of  Springs  gushing  into  it 
on  all  sides  from  the  lofty  Snow  mountain's  Traders  buying 
&  selling  everything  a  person  wants  to  eat  all  over  these  moun- 
tains so  far  apart  a  handsome  valley  of  grass  all  around  this 
Lake  &  plenty  of  grass  all  around  &  also  another  large  Valley 
to  the  right  of  it  over  a  hill  about  40  Rod  from  it  enough  to 
feed  100s  of  animals  their  is  a  constant  travel  from  40  to  50 
Mules  &  Ponies  packing  from  California  to  the  Valley  &  Salt 
Lake  also  carrying  liquors  Coffee  Sugar  Groceries  of  all  kinds 
all  around  this  Lake  grass  is  just  in  its  bloom  &  the  mountains 
close  by  us  to  the  left  covered  nearly  with  Snow  we  have 
travelled  to  day  &  worked  ourselves  &  teams  hard  from  6 
oclock  until  12  where  we  are  now  by  the  Lake  10  Miles  to 
day  one  team  of  pack  Mules  about  40  came  here  last  night 
going  to  the  Sink  for  the  relief  of  them  that  wants  it  [and] 
has  got  no  money  a  general  along  &  his  wife  from  California 
riding  on  Mules  &  carrying  their  blankets  camp  right  on  the 
ground  as  happy  as  in  a  feather  bed  &  more  so  than  any  in 
the  States  dress  they  think  nothing  of  money  plenty  I 
feel  as  well  lying  out  now  as  I  did  in  the  States  lying  in  a 
bed  nothing  to  fret  you  good  health  &  fine  cool  nights 

Saturday  14th.  [Sunday  15th.]  slept  under  large  wreaths  of 
snow  last  [night]  watching  our  Horses  at  the  foot  of  the  Lofty 
Sierra  nearly  by  Snow  to  the  left  left  camp  at  8  oclock 
late  on  Ace*,  of  our  Horses  &  Cattle  having  a  hard  day  yes- 
terday left  this  morning  at  6  Oclock  &  made  a  start  for  the 
2d,  mountain  from  the  beginning  for  some  [distance]  crooked  & 
twisted  through  [and]  amongst  large  heavy  pines,  &  cedars 
not  very  bad  considering  what  we  had  yesterday  next  began 
to  roll  down  hill  for  some  ways  a  kind  of  an  opening  pretty 
good  grass  in  places  then  began  to  ascend  a  little  by  little 
more  &  more  until  we  came  right  below  a  long  wreath  of  deep 
Snow  where  the  water  from  the  snow  &  Springs  in  every  di- 
rection runs  to  into  the  same  track  where  we  ascend  this  is 
all  rolling  middling  sized  stone  the  water  running  through  it 
makes  the  stone  Slippery  &  bad  for  teams  &  a  pretty  long  as- 

[216] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

cent  about  %  mile  right  up  to  the  Snow  &  amongst  these  we 
turned  to  the  left  on  the  face  of  the  mountain  for  a  consider- 
able long  ways  amongst  huge  big  rock  &  some  Snow  to  the 
Hubs  of  our  waggons  this  snow  in  places  is  from  12  to  18  ft 
deep  in  places  &  the  weeds  &  flowers  &  grass  in  full  bloom 
close  by  below  it  after  this  we  ascend  a  place  pretty  near 
straight  up  but  not  so  rocky,  then  come  to  a  flat  for  a  piece 
then  ascend  a  small  piece  but  rough  in  places  to  the  top  called 
6  Miles  in  5  hours  then  after  that  pretty  rough  as  bad  in 
places  ascending  &  [as  in]  descending  their  is  a  beautiful 
Lake  to  the  right  on  the  top  of  this  mountain  &  another  in 
descending  to  the  right  some  openings  along  some  little 
grass  &  weeds  all  in  full  bloom  that  is  all  the  animals  get 
Mules  does  well  on  it  nooned  at  3  Oclock  about  10  Miles  from 
where  we  started  from  in  the  morning  this  is  the  last  moun- 
tain or  main  ridge  of  Sierra  Nevada46  rested  our  teams  about 
2  hours  on  a  middling  good  patch  of  grass  to  the  left  of  the 
road  went  from  where  we  fed  about  4  miles  on  a  pretty 
rough  rocky  road  a  little  descending  over  mountains  some 
pretty  little  valleys  of  grass  &  weeds  &  some  good  pine  &  Ce- 
dar stopt  in  a  small  Valley  in  the  middle  of  the  mountains 
called  Union  Valley  all  night  grass  very  short  some  few 
Musquetoes 

Sunday  15th.  [Monday  16th.]  left  in  the  morning  at  6  oclock 
&  went  about  17  miles  before  we  stopt  to  feed  our  teams  the 
road  to  day  was  very  rough  &  Rocky  in  places  over  the  moun- 


46  There  were  four  regions  in  the  wall  of  the  Sierra  through  which 
most  of  the  direct  emigrants  to  California  passed.  Before  any  of  these 
were  discovered  the  land  access  was  either  from  the  Columbia  Valley, 
by  way  of  the  Willamette,  or  else  from  the  Colorado  Valley,  by  way  of 
the  extreme  southern  passes,  (a)  The  Walker  Pass,  some  fifty  miles 
south  of  Owens  Lake,  and  equally  distant,  northeast  from  Tehachapi 
Pass,  through  which  the  railroads  now  enter  the  central  valley  of  Cali- 
fornia, was  discovered  by  Joseph  R.  Walker  in  1834,  but  was  used  only 
occasionally  by  emigrant  parties.  Bancroft,  California,  Hi,  p.  391; 
iv,  p.  264.  (b)  There  were  several  possible  passages  north  of  Walker 
Pass,  leading  to  the  Merced  or  the  Stanislaus,  but  the  next  important 
region  to  the  north  was  that  of  the  Carson  River,  from  which  West  Car- 
son Pass  and  Johnson's  Cut-off  guided  many  emigrants  to  Placerville. 
(c)  Further  north  was  the  Truckee  route,  which  followed  the  river 

[2171 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

tains  ascending  &  descending  some  steep  places  but  deep 
gravel  &  sand  mixed  along  in  places  saw  some  beautiful 
Springs  &  valleys  &  water  springing  out  of  the  rocks  these 
openings  &  Valleys  look  beautiful  covered  with  flowers  of 
every  description  in  full  bloom  &  wild  Beans  about  as  large 
as  the  small  white  bean  every  thing  in  its  full  bloom  &  the 
mountains  above  them  spotted  with  Snow  passed  some  3  or 
4  Stations  of  Californians  in  morning  two  men  on  foot  from 
Waukegan  took  breakfast  with  us  this  morning  they  came 
with  a  man  by  the  name  of  Brown  his  Horses  got  poor  &  he 
had  to  stop  in  the  Valley  for  2  wks.  to  let  them  recruit  it 
wants  Horses  strong  to  come  from  the  Kanyan  to  Hangstown 
more  so  than  any  other  part  of  the  route  &  one  empty  Wag- 
gon is  common  two  Horses  [per]  Waggon  is  enough  for  any 
one  Span  passed  tragedy  spring  where  3  men  were  killed  by 
some  Indians  there  are  3  graves  covered  with  large  stones 
&  also  a  Station  selling  liquors  &  groceries  these  men  were 
3  men  that  carried  the  mail  to  Salt  Lake  it  happened  last 
winter  1851  camp'd  about  2  oclock  at  an  opening  or  valley 
called  leek  Springs  their  are  a  great  many  Springs  all  round 
here  for  about  20  Rod  one  at  the  bottom  of  the  hill  the  best 
&  coldest  I  ever  drank  off  these  springs  make  a  pretty  large 
creek  a  little  below  in  the  Valley  very  good  grass  but  to  the 
right  hand  of  these  springs  about  one  mile  through  heavy 
pine  timber  there  is  good  grass  from  1  ft  &  upwards  passed 
through  some  excellent  timber  to  day  pine,  White  Spruce 


of  this  name  from  the  Nevada  Desert  into  the  Sierra,  and  descended 
tributaries  of  the  Yuba  and  Bear  rivers  to  Sutter's  ranch  on  the  Ameri- 
can. This  pass  was  discovered  in  1844,  and  became  the  route  of  the 
Central  Pacific  Railroad.  T.  H.  Hittell,  Hist,  of  California  (San  Fran- 
cisco, 1885-97),  ii,  p.  332;  O.  Johnson  and  W.  H.  Winter,  Route  Across 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  with  a  Description  of  Oregon  and  California 
(Lafayette,  Ind.,  1846),  p.  103.  (d)  The  Feather  River  Valley,  a 
northern  tributary  of  the  Sacramento,  was  the  objective  of  persons 
who  entered  California  by  the  northern  passes.  To  reach  this  valley 
the  mountains  were  crossed  near  Goose  Lake  or  south  of  it.  It  was 
sometimes  called  Lassen's  route  because  of  a  ranch  owned  by  one 
Lassen  near  its  end  in  California.  Maj.  D.  H.  Rucker  was  distribut- 
ing aid  to  emigrants  on  this  route  in  1849.  31  Cong.,  1  sess.,  Sen.  Docs., 
p.  52,  143ff. 

[218] 


TurnbulFs  Travels 

from  I  should  Judge  100  to  150  ft  high  from  4  to  6  ft  through 
stopt  here  all  Sunday  afternoon  &  night  on  Acct  of  grass  be- 
ing some  scarce  since  we  left  the  head  of  the  Kanyan,  &  scarce 
ahead  [of]  this  place  or  rather  openings  to  see  the  animals 
go  down  to  it  [phrase  obscure]  round  the  huge  rocks  &  deep 
guts  between  the  mountains  mostly  all  wild  rye  & 
grass  &  flowers  in  full  bloom  Gooseberries  very  large  here 
but  prickly  not  ripe  yet  wild  beans  plenty  &  Grisly  Bear 
very  troublesome  2  years  ago  amongst  stock  but  the  Emigra- 
tion keeps  both  them  &  the  Indians  back  from  the  road 

Monday  16th.  [Tuesday  17th.]  left  here  at  10  Oclock  a 
place  where  is  a  Station  called  Leek  Springs  on  Ace1  of  so 
many  leeks  growing  below  the  Springs  on  the  opening  or 
valley  one  road  to  the  left  New  cut  out  to  Hangtown  called 
some  nearer  the  old  road  goes  Straight  ahead  up  the  moun- 
tain this  is  bad  enough  &  I  am  afraid  the  other  is  worse  we 
have  ascended  &  descended  mountains  all  this  forenoon  some 
pretty  steep  pitches  over  large  pine  roots  &  large  loose  rock 
laying  pretty  near  as  thick  as  they  could  lay  &  intermixed 
with  loose  sand  &  gravel  dug  up  by  the  dragging  of  the  wheels 
met  one  4  Horse  team  going  to  the  mountains  for  Ice  from 
Hangtown  perhaps  60  Miles  from  Hangtown  passed  through 
some  tremendous  large  pine  timber  this  forenoon  stopt  after 
about  3  hours  travel  &  drove  our  animals  over  the  face  of  a 
mountain  down  into  an  opening  to  feed  Bancroft  LibT0T3F 

Tuesday  17th.  [Wednesday  18th.]  passed  some  4  Trader  Sta- 
tions passed  camp  Creek  next  Cold  Springs  another 
Trader  from  Michigan  the  next  the  Traders  Station  called 
the  Mountain  House  or  Forks  of  the  road  we  took  the  left 
hand  down  the  Valley  passed  Sly  Park  Tavern  a  handsome 
park  all  fenced  8  &  10  rails  high  he  charges  25cts.  pr  night 
for  each  head  of  Cattle  or  horse,  we  camp'd  below  the  Park 
good  grass  as  the  Park  opposite  another  house  or  claim  built 
with  lumber  the  same  as  the  Park  here  their  is  a  Saw  mill — 
over  the  hills  to  the  left  about  1  miles  their  is  some  of  the 
handsomest  timber  here  I  ever  saw  rail  cuts  I  counted  8  & 
10  from  one  tree,  the  same  of  Saw  logs  from  pine'  white  & 
Yellow,  some  oak  here  but  scrubby,  our  road  to  [here]  was 
very  rough  &  rocky,  large  loose  stones  intermixed  with  dust  '& 

15  [  219  1 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

very  hot  dust  &  deep  it  was  so  at  times  that  we  could  hardly 
see  the  teams,  before  we  came  to  Sly  Park  the  road  is  good 
&  smooth  only  dusty 

Wernesday  18th.  [Thursday  19th.]  pretty  cold  last  night 
left  this  morning  10  Oclock,  passed  a  good  many  miners  cab- 
ins &  places  where  they  are  digging,  passed  a  good  many  Tav- 
erns, &  stores,  turn  to  the  left  from  the  Hangtown  road 
passed  some  wrench  [ranch]  or  large  pieces  fenced  in  on  the 
Valley  camp'd  in  Squaw  Hollow  close  by  a  mans  House  from 
Indiana  has  a  garden  we  got  some  good  Melons  here  for 
nothing  as  they  only  sell  in  Hangtown  for  a  bit  mostly  all 
oak  mixed  with  some  pine  5  miles  from  here  to  Diamond 
Springs  and  you  can  go  from  where  we  are  in  Squaw  Hollow 
to  Hangtown  47  5m.  good  grass  along  here  to  the  left  of  this 
House,  but  it  is  getting  dry,  pea  Vine  wild  oats  on  the  moun- 
tains here 

Thursday  19th.  [Friday  20th.]     left  after  resting  myself  six 
days 


went  to  seek  my  fortune  but  found  every  Creek  &  Kanyon, 
covered  with  men  &  Hundreds  going  round  looking  for  work 
I  thought  the  country  somewhat  different  to  what  they  rep- 
resented it  to  be 

I  hired  with  a  man  to  blast  rock  on  the  south  fork  Canal 
[of]  American  River  for  $100  per  month  he  broke  up  in 
three  weeks  after  I  went  then  I  went  prospecting  over  the 


"Hangtown,  or  Placerville,  was  still  in  1865  "the  first  considerable 
town  in  California"  on  the  overland  route.  S.  Bowles,  Across  the 
Continent  (Springfield,  Mass.,  1868),  p.  166.  As  "Dry  Diggings"  it  had 
originated  in  the  boom  year  of  1848.  A  vigilance  committee  gave  it 
the  name  Hangtown,  while  the  California  legislature  named  it  Placer- 
ville in  1850.  It  is  situated  on  the  Hangtown  Creek,  a  branch  of  Weber 
Creek,  which  is  a  southern  tributary  of  the  South  Fork  of  the  American. 
Turnbull  had  crossed  several  branches  of  the  Cosumne  River  between 
the  pass  of  the  Sierra  and  Squaw  Hollow.  The  daily  journal  ends  at 
this  point,  and  the  later  pages  were  written  after  an  interval.  Ban- 
croft, California,  vi,  pp.  75,  467;  vii,  p.  540;  J.  D.  Borthwich,  Three 
Tears  in  California  (Edinburgh,  1857),  pp.  105,  113;  Thissell,  Crossing 
the  Plains  in  '49,  p.  173. 

[220] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

mountains  for  2  Weeks  me  &  a  Scotch  man  carried  our  blan- 
kets on  our  back  some  necessaries  to  eat  &  lay  down  wherever 
night  over  took  us,  &  carried  our  dirt  in  a  bag  sometimes 
one  mile  to  find  a  pool  of  water  to  wash  it,  and  then  could 
not  get  over  from  3  to  5cts.  to  pan  full  then  what  could  we 
do  until  rain  come,  only  leave  it, 

so  then  I  left  &  pushed  down  to  Sacramento,  intending  to 
go  to  Benecia,  but  I  hired  on  a  "Wrench,  or  farm  as  they  call 
them  in  the  Spanish  language,  at  $65  pr  month  I  was  only 
there  about  4  weeks  until  I  took  sick  very  sickly  in  the  Val- 
ley, fever  &  Ague  all  over  on  Ace*,  of  the  marshes  &  the  coun- 
try overflowing  in  the  rainy  season 

then  I  came  into  Town  &  lay  sick  not  able  to  help  myself 
for  6  weeks  at  $1Q  pr  Week  for  board  for  by  [besides]  medi- 
cine that  took  all  I  had  mostly, 

next  I  went  to  drive  Horses  for  Miller  up  in  the  mountains 
with  goods  to  Store  keepers,  until  I  got  some  strength, 

next  I  went  up  in  the  mountains  to  mine  the  1st.  heavy 
rain  we  had  it  rained  about  one  month  the  most  of  the  time 
straight  down  I  stood  it  all  the  time  for  about  one  month,  & 
then  left 

came  down  to  Sacramento,  to  go  to  Benecia,  to  try  to  find 
Denton,  but  unfortunately  I  took  fever  &  hard  one  it  was  I 

was  expected  to  die  every  day,  but  brought  me 

through  in  about  six  weeks  so  as  I  was  able  to  get  out  of  bed 
&  make  my  escape  to  another  House  for  a  while  where  I  was 
taken  good  care  off  &  then 

I  left  &  went  to  Newcastle  Secret  Diggings  &  began  to  pro- 
spect made  a  claim  &  went  to  mining,  mined  in  Newcastle 
for  some  time  but  could  not  make  any  thing  on  Ace1,  of  pay- 
ing $1  pr  inch  for  water  less  than  4  inches  I  could  not  do 
any  thing  and  the  ground  so  hard  and  deep  almost  from  12 
to  20  ft  nothing  paid  .but  about  1%  ft  at  the  bottom  on  the 
top  of  the  rock, 

their  was  a  new  place  struck  about  6  miles  from  there  It 
was  called  great  so  my  partners  got  dissatisfied  and  would 
sell  so  to  buy  them  out  I  did  not  know  which  would  be  best 
so  we  all  sold  out  &  put  for  the  new  diggings  but  they  were 
not  near  as  good  as  was  represented,  but  still  some  were 

[221] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

making  a  good  strike  once  &  awhile  as  is  the  case  all  over 
the  Mines  some  are  bound  to  strike  &  some  has  a  poor  chance 
if  ever  it  is  all  chance  work  like  all  other  mining  places  es- 
pecially in  the  late  days  it  is  not  as  it  was  in  49  &  50  before 
the  country  was  dug  up.  I  got  a  start  made  at  these  new 
diggings  &  could  not  make  very  much  on  Acc^  of  water  be- 
ing scarce  until  fall, 

but  it  happened  before  fall  we  disagreed  &  I  sold  out  &  left 
for  mere  nothing  and  worst  of  all  I  was  robbed  of  my  belt  & 
a  good  many  Specimens  that  I  intended  to  send  home  for  to 
make  finger  rings  &  Ear-rings  to  what  amount  I  wont  say  but 
I  expect  enough  to  cover  what  I  wrote  I  would  send  you  home 
this  blasted  my  expectations 

so  then  I  had  to  push  my  fortune  once  more,  and  then  the 
worst  time  of  the  year  hot  as  the  Indies  &  no  water  without 
carrying  the  dirt  some  distance,  I  prospected  near  Dotys 
Flatts,  about  2  miles  from  where  the  Simpsons  live  and  struck 
a  middling  good  place  but  some  how  it  was  [so]  very 
troublesome  to  work  when  water  did  come  &  no  fall  that  I 
did  not  do  as  well  as  I  expected  &  further  their  was  not 
enough  of  it,  &  also  the  country  is  all  tore  up  round  here  & 
also  on  Ace*,  of  it  being  winter  I  am  as  well  as  many  others 
obliged  to  stay  until  the  winter  &  rainy  season  are  over  if 
[we]  can  but  make  board  some  has  enough  to  do  to  make  it 
so  I  remain  here  until  Spring  and  then  I  intend  to  go  to  the 
mountains  but  what  part  I  dont  know, 

this  [journal]  ends  at  the  time  of  McGlorys  leaving  for 
[the]  U[nited]  States. 

[On  fly-leaf] 

It  will  be  hard  for  you  to  make  this  book  out  right  Acct  of 
some  mistakes  &  I  had  no  time  to  look  them  over  and  also  I 
referred  back  to  page  in  places  where  by  close  examination 
you  might  find  it  out  take  good  care  of  it  until  I  come  back 
friend  but  be  sure  dont  lend  it  to  dirty  or  muss  it  up  until  I 
write  it  of  [f]  once  more  I  could  get  $50  for  it  in  Sacramento. 
Yr.  Ty 

Spanish  Ravine 


222] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

LATER  REFLECTIONS  UPON  CALIFORNIA 

March   29th   185|3,48 
Brother, 

(This  is  the  fourth  letter  that  I  have  wrote  you  from  Cali- 
fornia, and  never  received  no  answer.  I  have  been  sick  twice 
&  it  cost  me  all  I  could  make  and  some  in  debt,  I  have  just 
now  recovered  from  having  an  intermitting  fever,  I  took  sick 
in  the  most  cursed  hole  I  ever  was  in,  in  all  my  life  I  was 
almost  eat  alive  by  lice,  and  so  weak  that  I  could  not  turn 
over  in  bed,  a  good  many  has  died  that  I  was  acquainted 
with  &  strangers  also,  this  is  a  terrible  country  for  a  man  to 
be  sick  in,  the  people  in  these  boarding  houses  would  not  of- 
fer you  a  drink  of  water  or  victuals  if  you  do  not  crawl  over 
the  bed  &  take  what  is  going,  it  was  the  same  the  first  time 
I  took  sick  in  Millers,  they  are  a  cursed  set,  they  charged 
me  $16  pr  week,  for  each  &  every  day  of  the  week  did  not  get 
the  offer  nor  could  not  eat  one  Cup  of  tea  in  two  days,  this 
about  5  month  I  have  been  sick  in  all  and  further  it  takes 
some  time  to  get  strength  so-  as  you  are  able  to  go  to  work 
again, — if  it  had  not  been  for  a  Scotchman,  that  kept  Store, 
on  the  Mines  up  the  Sacramento  river,  that  took  a  great  lik- 
ing for  me  on  ace*,  of  doing  some  writing  for  him  he  is  rich 
his  people  lives  in  Canada  &  has  been  for  18  years,  came  right 
to  the  boarding  house  &  took  me  out  of  it  &  made  me  up  a* 
bunk  in  his  Store,  &  paid  a  man  to  shoot  quail  &  Rabbits,  for 
me  to  make  soup  at  that  time  i  could  not  hear  almost  any 
thing  I  stopt  with  him  for  some  time,  until  I  was  able  to  walk 
around,  then  he  wanted  me  to  go  down  to  the  Bay,  at  San- 
franciseo,  where  he  has  got  a  Farm,  &  stop  there  until  I  got 
some  strength  to  go  to  work  &  he  would  not  charge  me  any 
thing.  R.  Miller  was  in  company  with  this  fellow  that  kept 
this  boarding  house  &  they  had  a  store  also,  the  old  fellow 
has  got  a  few  acres  of  land  near  Sacramento,  if  it  was  paid 
for,  if  it  had  not  been  for  this  Scotchman  it  would  have 
been  the  last  of  me  I  believe,  after  he  had  not  took  me  away 


48  The  only  letter  written  by  Thomas  Turnbull  and  now  preserved  by 
his  family  is  this,  which  was  written,  from  Newcastle  Secret  Diggings. 


223] 


Wisconsin  Historical  Society 

more  than  3  days,  then  Miller  came  up  &  presented  a  Bill  for 
4  wks  board  &  attendance  to  offer  a  drink  of  water  or  a  cup  of 
tea  once  in  3  days  $59.75  &  I  laying  not  able  to  hear  nor 
speak  the  Scotchman  got  so  mad  that  he  kicked  him  out  of 
the  Store  &  damned  him  that  his  house  was  not  fit  for  a  Hog, 
to  lay  in  for  lice  &  blackguards  &  told  him  he  would  pay  it 
out  of  his  own  pocket  if  I  had  been  used  like  a  human  being, 
they  were  talking  all  round  among  the  Boarders,  that  I  would 
certainly  die  &  if  I  did  where  would  they  get  their  pay,  at 
the  same  time  I  had  over  $60  in  my  pocket,  I  could  crawl  out 
of  doors  at  night  to  do  a  job  for  myself,  &  hardly  able  to  get 
in  again  being  so  weak  when  I  was  at  the  worst  I  hid  my 
money  in  the  ground  it  sometimes  puzzled  me  to  find  it  on 
ace*,  of  my  head  being  so  giddy,  to  buy  medicine  that  I 
wanted  I  had  to  hide  it  for  fear  of  the  Miners  boarding  or 
Miller  taking  it  out  of  my  pocket,  as  they  all  do  in  this  Coun- 
try before  a  mans  breath  is  out,  paid  if  it  had  not  been  for 
sickness  I  would  have  sent  you  $100  twice  over,  but  this  is  a 
hard  Country  for  a  man  to  get  work  in  when  first  coming  in 
&  especially  when  he  has  no  money  &  gets  sick,  some  are 
never  subject  to  sickness  much  &  others  are  all  the  time  & 
also  a  great  many  have  died  this  season  after  coming  over  the 
Plains  from  the  States  100 's  payed  their  passage  &  turned 
right  home  again  did  not  find  the  country  as  they  expected, 
it  is  not  the  same  as  when  the  Steele'8  came  here  all  the  Ra- 
vines, &  Kanyans,  &  Bars,  on  all  the  Eivers,  are  mostly  adl 
worked  out  &  taken  up  without  a  man  had  got  money  to  buy 
a  Claim  he  has  got  no  chance  in  some  places,  he  has  got  to  be 
here  one  year  almost  now  before  he  can  find  out  the  rascality 
of  miners  holding  claims  all  over,  after  you  get  acquainted 
you  can  find  claims  everywhere  but  not  the  tenth  part  as  good 
as  when  Steeles  were  here  only  in  some  places,  I  have  left 
this  Scotchman  &  gone  up  to  the  Mines  to  a  place  called  New- 
castle or  Secret  Diggings,  I  prospected  round  some  3  days 
not  very  strong  boarding  with,  Phelix  Sutherland.  I  struck 
a  prospect  from  10cts  to  50cts  to  the  pan  I  went  &  Staked  out 
400  ft  Square,  next  day  took  in  3  partners  &  put  tbem  right 
on  to  work  green  horns  from  England  bought  all  the  tools  & 
started  then  the  next  I  was  able  to  go  to  work  with  them 

[224] 


Turnbull's  Travels 

we  did  not  do  much  for  3  wks  about  board  &  tools,  Slice  boxes, 
Torn,  &  Riffle  Boxes  Picks,  &  Shovels,  &  Hoes  for  the  water 
to  run  in  to  wash  the  dirt  in  the  Yom,  and  we  have  to  buy 
water  also  companies  have  cut  ditches  from  Creeks  &  Rivers 
to  bring  water  all  over  the  dry  diggings,  and  they  charge 
from  $6  to  $4  for  one  Tom  head  that  is  for  water  enough  to 
wash  your  dirt  for  one  day,  some  are  working  hard  &  cant 
hardly  pay  board  it  is  all  a  lottery  some  will  strike  a  good! 
place  &  make  their  pile  right  away  others  the  reverse,  the 
tools  I  bought  cost  me  over  $80.00,  the  4  of  us  now  are  mak- 
ing from  $6  to  $8  pr  day,  for  3  days  before  I  wrote  this  let- 
ter, &  I  expect  we  shall  do  better  I  found  one  place  $1  to  the 
pan  if  we  make  aniy  large  strike  you  shall  soon  know  &  have 
some  of  it,  I  am  getting  pretty  well  now  thanks  be  to  you, 
hoping  to  find  you  all  the  same,  Spence  &  Simpsons  are  over 
about  4  Miles  from  me  mining  the  Widow  Dewyers  daugh- 
ter &  boy  McGloy,  Cob.  McVay,  &c Cunningham  &  Squire 

McGuire  from  Chicago  about  4  mile  from  me  mining  I  heard 
Cochran  was  very  near  deaf  &  pretty  well  broke  down  Sul- 
livan &  the  rest  are  separated  all  over,  if  you  see  the  old 
man  McCormick  tell  him  Roger  is  working  with  Simpsons  & 
says  he  will  send  him  some  money  as  soon  as  possible,  he  has 
been  sick  for  some  time  he  has  never  seen  nor  heard  of  his 
brother,  since  he  came,  none  of  them  has  so  much  money  as 
the  people  talk  about  that  I  have  mentioned  the[y]  go  on  to 
a  claim  &  does  a  good  deal  of  work  on  it  &  it  costs  something 
$15  [000]  or  $20  [000]  you  may  depend  I  will  tell  you  in  the 
next  letter  all  about  coming,  I  could  not  send  my  journal  on 
ace*  of  it  being  done  with  pencil  I  have  not  had  time  to  take 
it  off  but  I  will  have  time  before  long, 

I  remain  Your  afft  Brother 

Thomas  Turnbull 
Direct  Newcastle 

Secret  Diggings 

Placer  County 

Care  of  Phelix  Sutherland 


225] 


• 


